CHANGES IN AGED WHITE MALE SUICIDE - 1948-1972

Recent changes in the suicide rate of aged white males in America are considered in this study. It is shown that the trend in aged male suicide is closely similar, in the negative direction, to trends in aged income status. A multivariate model, incorporating social and economic variables in a dynamic manner, is formulated. The analysis of rates based upon the dynamic multivariate formulation shows that income status has exerted a significant, negative impact upon aged white male suicide over the period of the analysis. The social variables considered apparently have little or no significance with respect to the course of suicide over the period analyzed.