Suicide and death ideation in older adults obtaining aging services

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the frequency and correlates of death and suicide ideation in older adults accessing aging services.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Data for this study were collected via in-home interviews.

Participants: Aging Services Network (ASN) care management clients aged 60 years and older (N = 377) were recruited for this study.

Measurement: The PHQ-9 and the Paykel Suicide Scale were used to assess death and suicide ideation. Correlates of death and suicide ideation were also examined.

Results: Fourteen percent of subjects endorsed current death or suicide ideation, 27.9% of subjects endorsed death ideation in the past year, and 9.3% of subjects endorsed suicide ideation in the last year. Current death and suicide ideation were associated with greater depressive symptoms. As compared with individuals without ideation, individuals with death ideation demonstrated higher levels of depressive symptoms, more medical conditions, and lower social support. Individuals with suicide ideation demonstrated higher depressive and anxiety symptoms and less perceived social support. Finally, as compared with individuals with death ideation, individuals with suicide ideation demonstrated higher depressive and anxiety symptoms and more alcohol misuse.

Conclusions: Death and suicide ideation are common among ASN clients. There were both differences and similarities between correlates of death and suicide ideation. ASN providers are uniquely situated to address many of the correlates of suicide ideation identified in this study; in order to effectively manage suicide ideation in an ASN setting, however, links to primary and mental health care providers are necessary.

Keywords: Suicide ideation; aging services; death ideation.