A Systematic Review of Social Factors and Suicidal Behavior in Older Adulthood

Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg, Kimberly A. van Orden, Paul Duberstein, Annette Erlangsen, Sylvie Lapierre, Ehud Bodner, Silvia Sara Canetto, Diego De Leo, Katalin Szanto and Margda Waern
Additional contact information
Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Wallinsgatan 6, 43141 Mölndal, Sweden
Kimberly A. van Orden: Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
Paul Duberstein: Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
Annette Erlangsen: Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 624 North Broadway, S850, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
Sylvie Lapierre: Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 des Forges blvd., Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 5H7, Canada
Ehud Bodner: The Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences and the Music Department, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
Silvia Sara Canetto: Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
Diego De Leo: Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, National Centre of Excellence in Suicide Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention, and Life Promotion Clinic, Mt Gravatt Campus, Griffith University, 176 Messines Ridge Road, Mt Gravatt, QLD 4122, Australia
Katalin Szanto: Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
Margda Waern: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Blå Stråket 15, 41345 Gothenburg, Sweden

IJERPH, 2012, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-24

Abstract: Suicide in later life is a global public health problem. The aim of this review was to conduct a systematic analysis of studies with comparison groups that examined the associations between social factors and suicidal behavior (including ideation, non-fatal suicidal behavior, or deaths) among individuals aged 65 and older. Our search identified only 16 articles (across 14 independent samples) that met inclusion criteria. The limited number of studies points to the need for further research. Included studies were conducted in Canada (n = 2), Germany (n = 1), Hong Kong (n = 1), Japan (n = 1), Singapore (n = 1), Sweden (n = 2), Taiwan (n = 1), the U.K. (n = 2), and the U.S. (n = 3). The majority of the social factors examined in this review can be conceptualized as indices of positive social connectedness—the degree of positive involvement with family, friends, and social groups. Findings indicated that at least in industrialized countries, limited social connectedness is associated with suicidal ideation, non-fatal suicidal behavior, and suicide in later life. Primary prevention programs designed to enhance social connections as well as a sense of community could potentially decrease suicide risk, especially among men.

Keywords: death wishes; suicidal ideation; non-fatal suicidal behavior; suicide; social factors; social support; systematic review; older adults (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/3/722/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/3/722/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:9:y:2012:i:3:p:722-745:d:16411

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().