The epidemiology of suicide in the elderly population in Southern Iran, 2011–2016

•Suicide is one of the most critical public health concerns for the elderly.•In the Iranian population, suicide rates within the age groups are ambiguous yet.•In our study, family conflicts were the most frequent cause of suicide attempts (29.2%).•In the present study, the CFR of suicide was 21.07% in people aged 65 years and older in Fars, Iran. The epidemiology of suicide within the elderly is unique to each cultural setting. In most countries, despite the higher rate of suicide attempts among adolescents and young people, the rate of suicide deaths in the elderly is higher than other age groups. The purpose of this study was to investigate the suicide rates among persons 65 years and above in Fars, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated suicide cases (65 years and older) during 2011–2016 in Fars, Iran. The data were collected from the Mental Health and Suicide Surveillance Systems of Fars province, using filled forms that included suicide and demographic information. After eliminating duplications, suicidal rates were calculated. Of 299 suicide attempts, 64.9% were men, and 69.6% were urban residents. The rate of suicide attempts and deaths were 21.47 and 4.52 per 100,000 population, respectively; and the case fatality rate (CFR) of suicide was 21.07% during the study period. The rate of suicide attempts and deaths in this population showed an increase during the study years. Considering the increasing trend of suicide rates in the elderly in Fars, Iran, measures should be taken to facilitate the access of this group to the mental health care system and psychological counseling.