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Factors associated with suicidal thoughts in a large community study of older adults
- Authors:
- ALMEIDA Osvaldo P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 201(6), December 2012, pp.466-472.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
While thoughts about death and self-harm in old age are commonly associated with the presence of depression, evidence is accumulating that other risk factors may also be important. This cross sectional study examined the independent association between suicidal ideation in later life and demographic, lifestyle, socioeconomic, psychiatric and medical factors. A community-derived sample of 21,290 adults aged 60–101 years was enrolled from Australian primary care practices. Participants endorsing any of the four items of the Depressive Symptom Inventory –Suicidality Subscale were deemed to be experiencing suicidal thoughts. The 2-week prevalence of suicidal ideation was 4.8%. Male gender, higher education, current smoking, living alone, poor social support, no religious practice, financial strain, childhood physical abuse, history of suicide in the family, past depression, current anxiety, depression or comorbid anxiety and depression, past suicide attempt, pain, poor self-perceived health and current use of antidepressants were independently associated with suicidal ideation. Poor social support was associated with a population attributable fraction of 38.0%, followed by history of depression (23.6%), concurrent anxiety and depression (19.7%), prevalent anxiety (15.1%), pain (13.7%) and no religious practice (11.4%). While prevalent and past mood disorders could be valid targets for interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviour, the data indicate that social disconnectedness and stress account for a larger proportion of cases than mood disorders.