Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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Suicide ideation in older adults: relationship to mental health problems and service use
- Authors:
- CORNA Laurie M., CAIRNEY John, STREINER David L.
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 50(6), December 2010, pp.785-797.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of suicide ideation among community-dwelling older adults and the relationship between suicide ideation, major psychiatric disorder, and mental health service use. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey 1.2: Mental Health and Well-being (CCHS 1.2) for all adults aged 55 years and over was used to estimate the prevalence of suicide ideation and the prevalence of major psychiatric disorder and service use among ideators versus nonideators. Using multivariate models, the study considered the sociodemographic, social, and mental health correlates of suicide ideation and mental health care use. The results showed that more than 2% of older adults reported suicide ideation in the past year and more than two thirds of these respondents did not meet the criteria for any of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders assessed in the CCHS 1.2. In multivariate models, being male, younger, or widowed, reporting lower social support and higher psychological distress increased the likelihood of suicide ideation. More than 50% of the respondents who reported suicidal thoughts did not access any type of mental health care use. The article concludes that, although suicide ideation is associated with depression and anxiety disorders, many older adults with suicidal thoughts do not meet the criteria for these clinical disorders.
Violence, older adults, and serious mental illness
- Authors:
- GOLDHAGEN Renata F.S., DAVIDTZ Jennifer
- Journal article citation:
- Aggression and Violent Behavior, 57, 2021, p.101439.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on violence and aggressive behavior by and towards older adults in the context of serious mental illness. Literature was identified via comprehensive searches of PsycInfo, MedLine, AgeLine, CINAHL, PubMed, Biomedical Reference Collection, Sociological Abstracts, and Google Scholar. Key findings of the review are as follows: (1) older adults with serious mental illness are at risk for violent and aggressive behavior; (2) there is limited research on aggressive behavior in older adults with serious mental illness who do not have comorbid dementia; and (3) older adults are at increasing risk of experiencing aggressive behaviors from their mentally ill adult children for whom they provide care. Limitations of the available literature reviewed include possible underreporting of violent and aggressive behavior, a lack of consensus regarding the age at which one is considered to be an older adult, and varying subjective experiences across participants regarding what constitutes violent and aggressive behavior. The literature reviewed suggests that preventing and managing aggression and violence by or towards older adults should emphasize a collaborative approach that integrates the social, interpersonal, situational, and cultural contexts both in future research and clinical practice. (Edited publisher abstract)
Physical health and mental disorder in elderly suicide: a case-control study
- Authors:
- PRÉVILLE Michel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 9(6), November 2005, pp.576-584.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The psychological autopsy method was used to study 95 cases of suicide. Ninety-five comparison subjects matched for gender, age, region, and date of death were selected from the death register. This study showed that suicide cases did not differ from controls with regard to the number of chronic health problems and, compared to the suicide cases, the controls had less functional autonomy six months prior to death. If minor and sub-threshold depression cases were included, 74.7% of the suicide cases would have been considered as having a mental health disorder compared to 12.6% in the control group. When the effect of other co-variables were controlled for, multivariate analysis showed that suicide cases and controls did not differ according to marital status, education, income, and living arrangement. Furthermore, suicide cases were no more likely than controls to seldom meet with family members or friends or to have been isolated during the six-month period preceding their death. Our findings suggest that detection of psychiatric disorders, mainly depression, must be included in late life suicide prevention strategies.
Differences in suicide behaviour in the elderly: a study in two provinces of Northern Italy
- Authors:
- ZEPPEGNO P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(8), August 2005, pp.769-775.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study investigates the suicide phenomenon among older people (people aged 65 and over) in the Italian provinces of Novara and Verbania, in the time span between January 1990 and December 2000, in order to evaluate if the characteristics of the suicide behaviour correlate to the place of living with particular attention to the psychosocial factors. The information was collected from the Republic Procuration of the two provinces. Frequencies and contingency tables were evaluated to compare the data found in the two provinces. Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) with their confidential intervals (95% confidence intervals) were calculated in comparison with the average suicide rates in North West Italy in the same period and in the same age group. One hundred and eighty-four suicides were committed from the elderly, with an average rate of 14.07 per 100,000 inhabitants in Novara and 25.56 in Verbania. The most common methods used to commit suicide were hanging and jumping from height. The factors chiefly related to suicide were mental disease, followed by organic illness. The analysis of SMRs point out that the incidence of suicide in the province of Verbania is higher than in North West Italy while in Novara it is lower. The evaluation of the suicide risk in the elderly in a diagnostic and preventive framework must take into consideration the psychosocial factors that vary with the place of living.
What should you expect at your age?
- Authors:
- MANTHORPE Jill, ILIFFE Steve
- Journal article citation:
- Openmind, 132, March 2005, pp.6-8.
- Publisher:
- MIND
Discusses complaints of gross neglect of mental health services for older people and an alleged national scandal of ignoring their heightened suicide risk are often heard, asking what is going on and why such services are still seen as the Cinderella. Asks how things might be improved by the voluntary sector, drawing on its experiences and critical perspectives.
Measuring elderly people's quality of life through the Beck Hopelessness Scale: a study with a Spanish sample
- Authors:
- SATORRES E., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 22(2), 2018, pp.239-244.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Hopelessness is a key element of suicidal intent. It can instill a pessimistic outlook on the future, leading an individual to believe that suicide is the only answer to their problems. Hopelessness operates as a modulating variable between depression and suicidal behavior. The aim of this study was to confirm the factor structure of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) in a non-clinical sample. Method: Three hundred and sixty-two Spanish individuals, aged over 60, free of cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms, completed the BHS scale. Participants were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), using one-, two- and three-factor models. Results: The one- and two-factor models presented adequate fit indices. Specifically, the indices of the two-factor models were better than those of the one-factor model. The two-factor model, without items 4, 9 and 14, provided the best fit, given that the indices obtained in the CFA and their internal consistency were better than those of the other models. Conclusion: The validation of the BHS for a population of Spanish older adults provides a reliable and valid measure of hopelessness and could be useful in clinical practice and research as an effective tool for the early detection of suicidal behaviors. (Publisher abstract)
The influence of thoughts of death and suicidal ideation on the course of depression in older depressed patients
- Authors:
- BOGERS Ista C.H.M., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 32(8), 2017, pp.882-891.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objective: Thoughts of death are not regularly included in diagnostic instruments and rarely examined separately from thoughts of suicide. This exploratory study examined whether thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide affect the course of late-life depressive disorders. Methods: In 378 depressed older persons, thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide were assessed using questions from the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. After 2 years, the presence of a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of minor or major depression or dysthymia was assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. The Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology was administered every 6 months up till 3-year follow-up. Results: Multinomial logistic regression showed that thoughts of death as well as thoughts of suicide predicted double depression at follow-up (OR = 2.14 [95% CI: 1.04–4.40] and OR = 6.47 [95% CI: 2.22–3.02], respectively), compared with patients without these thoughts. Results became non-significant when adjusted for baseline depression severity (OR = 1.17 [95% CI: 0.52–2.63] and OR = 2.57 [95% CI: 0.79–8.84], respectively). Mixed linear models showed that severity of depression was lowest in the reference group, while symptoms decreased more over time in those with either thoughts of death or suicide. Conclusions: Patients with thoughts of death or with thoughts of suicide were more severely depressed at baseline and follow-up, with the highest risk of being depressed at follow-up for patients with thoughts of suicide. These associations could be explained by baseline depression severity. The results suggest that thoughts of death and thoughts of suicide are important risk markers in predicting the course of depression. (Publisher abstract)
Relationships among depressive, passive-aggressive, sadistic and self-defeating personality disorder features with suicidal ideation and reasons for living among older adults
- Authors:
- SEGAL Daniel L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 19(12), 2015, pp.1071-1077.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Suicide among older adults is a major public health problem in the USA. In the authors' recent study, relationships between the 10 standard DSM-5 personality disorders (PDs) and suicidal ideation were studied, and they found that the PD dimensions explained a majority (55%) of the variance in suicidal ideation. To extend this line of research, the purpose of the present follow-up study was to explore relationships between the four PDs that previously were included in prior versions of the DSM (depressive, passive-aggressive, sadistic, and self-defeating) with suicidal ideation and reasons for living. (Edited publisher abstract)
The prevalence of suicide attempts among community-dwelling US Chinese older adults – findings from the PINE study
- Authors:
- DONG XinQi, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care, 7(1), 2014, pp.23-35.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the prevalence of suicide attempts and explore the suicide methods among community-dwelling Chinese older adults. Design/methodology/approach: Data were drawn from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (PINE) study, a population-based epidemiological study of Chinese older adults aged 60 years and above in the greater Chicago area. Guided by the community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach, the study enrolled 3,159 community-dwelling Chinese older adults from 2011 to 2013. Findings: The lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts is 791 per 100,000 and the past 12-month prevalence of suicide attempts is 285 per 100,000. Medication overdose is the most common suicide method both in the group of lifetime suicide attempts and 12-month suicide attempts. Lower income is positively correlated with lifetime suicide attempts and 12-month suicide attempts. Living with fewer household members is positively correlated with lifetime suicide attempts but not with 12-month suicide attempts. Research limitations/implications: The findings emphasise the needs for improved understanding of suicidal behaviour among minority older adults and to develop culturally and linguistically sensitive prevention and intervention strategies. Practical implications: Community stakeholder should improve the accessibility and availability of culturally sensitive mental health services and extend timely and effective suicide interventions in the Chinese community. Originality/value: This study represents the first and largest population-based epidemiological study to investigate the suicide attempts and methods among US Chinese older adults. In addition, the implementation of the CBPR approach allows us to minimise the cultural barriers associated with suicide investigation. The study emphasises the need for improved understanding on suicidal behaviour among minority older adults to inform culturally and linguistically sensitive prevention and intervention strategies. (Edited publisher abstract)
Chronic pain and depression among geriatric psychiatry inpatients
- Authors:
- MEEKS Thomas W., et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 23(6), June 2008, pp.637-642.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The authors examined whether chronic pain among depressed geriatric inpatients was associated with several clinical variables - comorbid psychiatric and medical diagnoses, length of hospitalisation, suicidal ideation, and sleep duration. Medical charts of in-patients admitted to a geriatric psychiatry unit over two years were examined retrospectively and 148 patients with a depressive disorder were identified. Admission pain assessments were used to classify whether patients had chronic pain. Other variables of interest were collected from charts. The results showed that 62% of patients reported chronic pain. In multivariate regression analysis, depressed older adults with chronic pain were more likely to report suicidal ideation, be diagnosed with personality disorder, have higher medical burden and experience decreased total sleep time compared to depressed older adults without chronic pain. It was concluded that chronic pain - common in depressed older adults - may influence clinical features of depression and should be assessed as a possible suicide risk factor. Prospective studies should examine causal relationships and determine the effects of adequate pain treatment on depression course and suicide risk in older adults.