Elderly people in Catholic and Orthodox countries are more likely to commit suicide than those in secular and Protestant countries, according to new research.

The findings completely overturn popular images of happy, long-lived Italians and isolated, lonely British pensioners.

The unexpected results are a tribute to UK health and social services, said Colin Pritchard, of Southampton University, who argues that suicide among the over-75s is a sign of neglect and isolation.

He suggested the extended family still does provide a support system in Latin countries. ?But if you don?t have children or you are unmarried then you are worse off than in Britain,? he added.

Despite a strong prohibition of suicide by the Catholic church, elderly suicide rates are higher in Italy, Spain and Portugal than in the UK or Scandinavia. An exception is Ireland, which has a very low rate but where researchers believe suicides are under-reported to spare relatives shame. But Orthodox Greece also has a lower rate than England and Wales.

The study by Professor Pritchard and Dr David Baldwin, published in the latest edition of the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, shows the five highest elderly male suicide rates per million were Hungary at 1785, Slovenia at 1225, Austria at 1168, Bulgaria at 1125 and the Russian Federation at 1093. The countries with the lowest elderly male rates were New Zealand at 250, England and Wales at 163, Greece at 143, Ireland at 139, and Scotland at 135.

Prof Pritchard said: "Our findings were completely unexpected. Suicide amongst elderly people is usually associated with ill health, social isolation and exclusion. With elderly people in Catholic and Orthodox countries tending to hold more traditional views on the family and religion, we might have assumed that this would be reflected in lower suicide rates, not higher.

"The 'extended family' is a feature in countries such as Italy, yet the Italian elderly suicide rate was far higher than in Britain. Additionally, suicide is still seen as a cardinal sin in many Catholic and Orthodox countries, yet some of the highest rates of elderly (over 75 years of age) male and female suicide were found in such countries as Spain, Portugal and Italy. The lowest rates were mainly in 'secular' countries such as Canada, New Zealand and Britain."

Scotland had the lowest rates of suicide amongst elderly men in the 35 countries investigated, with England and Wales coming 31st lowest out of 35, and 26th out of 35, in respect of suicide amongst elderly women. Professor Pritchard says the low Scottish figure may reflect a more rural population with a tradition of mutual support and self-reliance.

"This reflects well on British general practitioners, social services staff and geriatricians, but especially upon the much maligned British family carers, who bear the greatest load in support of their elderly relatives," said Prof Pritchard.

"However, these results show that we need to rethink views on suicide, and continue to improve provision of services for elderly people and rid ourselves of ageist stereotypes. The majority of elderly suicides die because they are inadequately supported and/or have poor medical care," he added.

SocietyGuardian.co.uk © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2004

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