IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v9y2012i3p722-745d16411.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Kimberly A. van Orden

    (Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • 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)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Madeleine Mellqvist Fässberg & Kimberly A. van Orden & Paul Duberstein & Annette Erlangsen & Sylvie Lapierre & Ehud Bodner & Silvia Sara Canetto & Diego De Leo & Katalin Szanto & Margda Waern, 2012. "A Systematic Review of Social Factors and Suicidal Behavior in Older Adulthood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-24, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:9:y:2012:i:3:p:722-745:d:16411
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/3/722/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/9/3/722/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Patricia A. Thomas, 2010. "Is It Better to Give or to Receive? Social Support and the Well-being of Older Adults," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 65(3), pages 351-357.
    2. Knox, K.L. & Conwell, Y. & Caine, E.D., 2004. "If Suicide Is a Public Health Problem, What Are We Doing to Prevent It?," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(1), pages 37-45.
    3. Arnetz, Bengt B. & Theorell, Töres & Arnetz, Bengt B., 1983. "Psychological, sociological and health behaviour aspects of a long term activation programme for institutionalized elderly people," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 17(8), pages 449-456, January.
    4. Julianne Holt-Lunstad & Timothy B Smith & J Bradley Layton, 2010. "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(7), pages 1-1, July.
    5. Debra Karch, 2011. "Sex Differences in Suicide Incident Characteristics and Circumstances among Older Adults: Surveillance Data from the National Violent Death Reporting System—17 U.S. States, 2007–2009," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-17, August.
    6. Seeman, Teresa E. & Berkman, Lisa F., 1988. "Structural characteristics of social networks and their relationship with social support in the elderly: Who provides support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 26(7), pages 737-749, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Fang, Hanming & Lei, Ziteng & Lin, Liguo & Zhang, Peng & Zhou, Maigeng, 2023. "Family companionship and elderly suicide: Evidence from the Chinese Lunar New Year," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    2. Hiroshi Murayama & Ryo Okubo & Takahiro Tabuchi, 2021. "Increase in Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Association with Mental Health: Findings from the JACSIS 2020 Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-12, August.
    3. Misaki Nakamoto & Takatoshi Nakagawa & Masahiko Murata & Motohiro Okada, 2021. "Impacts of Dual-Income Household Rate on Suicide Mortalities in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Yolanda Mejías-Martín & Juan de Dios Luna del Castillo & Candela Rodríguez-Mejías & Celia Martí-García & Juan Pablo Valencia-Quintero & María Paz García-Caro, 2019. "Factors Associated with Suicide Attempts and Suicides in the General Population of Andalusia (Spain)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-13, November.
    5. María Teresa Carrasco-Barrios & Paloma Huertas & Paloma Martín & Carlos Martín & Mª Carmen Castillejos & Eleni Petkari & Berta Moreno-Küstner, 2020. "Determinants of Suicidality in the European General Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-24, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shor, Eran & Roelfs, David J., 2015. "Social contact frequency and all-cause mortality: A meta-analysis and meta-regression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 76-86.
    2. Angelique Chan & Prassanna Raman & Stefan Ma & Rahul Malhotra, 2015. "Loneliness and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling elderly Singaporeans," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(49), pages 1361-1382.
    3. Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis & Helder Fernando Pedrosa Sousa & Andreia de Moura & Lilian M. F. Viterbo & Ricardo J. Pinto, 2019. "Health Behaviors as a Mediator of the Association Between Interpersonal Relationships and Physical Health in a Workplace Context," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-9, July.
    4. Evans-Polce, Rebecca J. & Staff, Jeremy & Maggs, Jennifer L., 2016. "Alcohol abstention in early adulthood and premature mortality: Do early life factors, social support, and health explain this association?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 71-79.
    5. Santini, Ziggi Ivan & Jose, Paul E. & Koyanagi, Ai & Meilstrup, Charlotte & Nielsen, Line & Madsen, Katrine R. & Koushede, Vibeke, 2020. "Formal social participation protects physical health through enhanced mental health: A longitudinal mediation analysis using three consecutive waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in E," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    6. Ruta Clair & Maya Gordon & Matthew Kroon & Carolyn Reilly, 2021. "The effects of social isolation on well-being and life satisfaction during pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-6, December.
    7. Lena Lämmle & Alexander Woll & Gert B. M. Mensink & Klaus Bös, 2013. "Distal and Proximal Factors of Health Behaviors and Their Associations with Health in Children and Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-35, July.
    8. Fernando L Vázquez & Patricia Otero & J Antonio García-Casal & Vanessa Blanco & Ángela J Torres & Manuel Arrojo, 2018. "Efficacy of video game-based interventions for active aging. A systematic literature review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(12), pages 1-24, December.
    9. Valéria Teresa Saraiva Lino & Nádia Cristina Pinheiro Rodrigues & Mônica Kramer de Noronha Andrade & Inês Nascimento de Carvalho Reis & Lucília Almeida Elias Lopes & Soraya Atie, 2019. "Association between visual problems, insufficient emotional support and urinary incontinence with disability in elderly people living in a poor district in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A six-year follow-up," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-12, May.
    10. Regina Kuppen & Mirjam de Leede & Jolanda Lindenberg & David van Bodegom, 2023. "Collective Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases in an Ageing Population with Community Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    11. Joanne Brooke & Maria Clark, 2020. "Older people’s early experience of household isolation and social distancing during COVID‐19," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(21-22), pages 4387-4402, November.
    12. Qin Xiang Ng & Kuan Tsee Chee & Michelle Lee Zhi Qing De Deyn & Zenn Chua, 2020. "Staying connected during the COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 66(5), pages 519-520, August.
    13. Fredrica Nyqvist & Bernd Pape & Tony Pellfolk & Anna Forsman & Kristian Wahlbeck, 2014. "Structural and Cognitive Aspects of Social Capital and All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 545-566, April.
    14. Clément Meier & Jürgen Maurer, 2022. "Buddy or burden? Patterns, perceptions, and experiences of pet ownership among older adults in Switzerland," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1201-1212, December.
    15. Sibai, Abla M. & Yount, Kathryn M. & Fletcher, Astrid, 2007. "Marital status, intergenerational co-residence and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older men and women during wartime in Beirut: Gains and liabilities," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 64-76, January.
    16. Jintao Li & Yan Dai & Cynthia Changxin Wang & Jun Sun, 2022. "Assessment of Environmental Demands of Age-Friendly Communities from Perspectives of Different Residential Groups: A Case of Wuhan, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-20, July.
    17. Nakagomi, Atsushi & Tsuji, Taishi & Saito, Masashige & Ide, Kazushige & Kondo, Katsunori & Shiba, Koichiro, 2023. "Social isolation and subsequent health and well-being in older adults: A longitudinal outcome-wide analysis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    18. Haywantee Ramkissoon, 2021. "Social Bonding and Public Trust/Distrust in COVID-19 Vaccines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-6, September.
    19. Di Novi, Cinzia & Martini, Gianmaria & Sturaro, Caterina, 2023. "The impact of informal and formal care disruption on older adults’ psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in UK," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    20. Hayo, Bernd & Ono, Hiroyuki, 2010. "Comparing public attitudes toward providing for the livelihood of the elderly in two aging societies: Germany and Japan," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 72-80, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:9:y:2012:i:3:p:722-745:d:16411. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.