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Im and Kim: A Phenomenological Study of Suicide Attempts in Elders
Original Article
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing

Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2011; 41(1): 61-71.

Published online: 28 February 2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2011.41.1.61

A Phenomenological Study of Suicide Attempts in Elders

Mi Young Im1, Yun Jeong Kim2

1Head Nurse, Seosan Medical Center Seosan, Seosan, Korea.

2Associate Professor, Department of Elderly Welfare, Hanseo University, Seosan, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Kim, Yun Jeong. Department of Elderly Welfare, Hanseo University, 360 Daegok-ri, Haemi-myeon, Seosan 356-706, Korea. Tel: +82-41-660-1251, Fax: +82-41-660-1329, twoyun21@hanmail.net

Received 14 June 2010       Accepted 25 February 2011

© 2011 Korean Society of Nursing Science

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning and essence of suicide for elderly people who had previously attempted suicide as an older person.

Methods

Giorgi's descriptive phenomenology was used for analysis. The researchers carried out in-depth interviews, recordings and memos individually with four elders. The elders were individuals who had attempted suicide sometime in the past 5 yr. They were interviewed from 5 to 10 times using open-ended questions and a semi-structural format. Demographic data were also collected.

Results

The meaning of suicide before a suicide attempt in older people had four core components: conflict with family, powerlessness and despair in their life with a drop in self-esteem, using internal and external resources to resolve their troubles and awareness of imminent crisis.

Conclusion

These results of this study will increase understanding of suicide in older people by defining their subjective experience of suicide attempts and applying grounded data in the development of programs that provide concrete intervention strategies to prevent suicide in elderly people.

Keywords: Elderly, Suicide attempt, Qualitative research, Phenomenology

Notes

This article is based on a part of the first author's doctoral thesis from Dept. of Elderly Welfare, Hanseo University.

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