More than 80 per cent of older people who commit suicide receive no psychiatric referral from their doctors, according to new research.

Social isolation, loneliness and childlessness among women were identified as important risk factors in the Royal College of Psychiatrists study.

The study also discovered only 15 per cent of older people who commit suicide are under psychiatric care at the time of their death.

For more information on the research, telephone 01782 556 001.

May 31, 2003 09:30