AbstractA comparison was made of young (aged 18–24) and old (60 plus) respondents in a community mental health survey of 679 adults in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Young people had significantly poorer mental health than did the elderly respondents and also reported more suicidal ideas and behavior in their lifetime. Assuming that these findings can be generalized to a wider population, the results imply a steady increase in suicidal behavior as the present generation of young people becomes olde