scholarly journals Loneliness and social integration as mediators between physical pain and suicidal ideation among elderly men

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Mira Lutzman ◽  
Eliane Sommerfeld ◽  
Sarah Ben-David
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Los Angeles ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Elderly Men ◽  
Pain Subscale

Abstract Objectives: Suicide in the elderly is a complex and significant public health problem. The purpose of our study was to examine the role of loneliness and social integration as potential mediators in the relationship between physical pain and suicidal ideation in the elderly. Design: Descriptive, bivariate correlations, and moderated mediation analyses were performed. Setting: Personal meetings were held with participants in their homes. Participants: A total of 198 elderly men aged 65 and over. Measurements: Self-report measures: Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, Physical pain subscale, Multidimensional Social Integration in Later Life Scale, and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale (Version 3). Results: Our findings showed that the association between physical pain and suicidal ideation was mediated by loneliness and social integration. Further analyses revealed that this mediation model was significant among single, but not married, men. Conclusions: Physical pain and social factors are both important in understanding suicidality in late life. Elderly single men who experience physical pain may be lonelier and less socially integrated, and these factors may contribute to higher risk of suicidal ideation.

Suicide in Later Life in Japan: Urban and Rural Differences

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naoki Watanabe ◽  
Kazuo Hasegawa ◽  
Yoko Yoshinaga
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Family System ◽  
Nuclear Family ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Gunshot Wounds ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Significant Public Health

It is estimated that in the year 2020, approximately 25% of the Japanese population will be over 65 years of age. Moreover, suicide is a significant public health problem in Japan, where more than 6,000 elders take their lives each year. The authors compare late-life suicide in urban Kawasaki with suicide among the elderly in rural Higashikubiki over a 12-year period, from 1979 through 1990. The suicide rates in Kawasaki were lower than for Japanese elders as a whole, whereas those in rural Higashikubiki were extraordinarily high. The most frequent method used in both areas was hanging, and none of the victims died of gunshot wounds. In Higashikubiki, almost two thirds of victims lived in a three-generation family and none lived alone. The change of the family system from the traditional extended family to the nuclear family is accelerating, especially in rural areas. The authors suggest that the greatly elevated suicide rates among the elderly in Higashikubiki, and in rural regions of Japan more generally, result from these rapidly occurring changes in traditional social structure.

Avoided Conversations: How Parents and Children delay talking about Widowhood and Dependency in Later life

1988 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Synge
Keyword(s):  
Family Structure ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Elderly Men ◽  
Older Parents ◽  
Parents And Children ◽  
Canadian City ◽  
Seriously Ill

ABSTRACTThis paper draws on a 1980 sample survey of middle-aged and elderly residents of a medium-sized Canadian city (N = 464). Few parents and grown-up children discussed in advance what might happen should parents become seriously ill or unable to look after themselves. However, most respondents did feel these matters should be discussed in advance, and most felt that parents should be the ones to raise these issues. This was true for both the middle-aged and the elderly. Elderly men rarely discussed their wives' futures with their children. Both the middle-aged and the elderly rarely talked with siblings or friends about the possibility of their own or their parents' dependency. Discussions that took place were often precipitated by illness. However, children expressed a great deal of concern for parents, especially for older parents. A variety of possible contributing explanations are suggested. These range from unwillingness to acknowledge changing family structure and mortality to parents' view on non-family-provided services.

When the Elderly Turn to Petty Crime

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi F. Sugie
Keyword(s):  
Social Integration ◽  
Economic Integration ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Arrest Rates ◽  
Fixed Effects Models ◽  
Aging Societies

Declines in offending in older age have been consistently observed in nearly every criminological study to date. Because of this, theories that address offending in older life focus exclusively on explaining decreases in crime or “desistance.” However, recent increases in elderly arrest rates in some aging societies provide a unique opportunity to forward theories of older age offending with an empirical touchstone. Using Japan as a case study, this article draws from a social integration perspective to examine whether changes in family and economic integration are associated with increasing arrest rates. Using prefectural fixed-effects models with elderly arrests from 1995 to 2004, the findings suggest that weakened family integration is associated with elderly arrest rates, particularly for petty crimes. This article situates these results within the context of Japan and discusses how social integration and later life offending may be related in aging societies like Japan.

scholarly journals Suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts and the use of psychoactive substances by adolescents

2022 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Pawłowska ◽  
Jolanta Szymańska
Keyword(s):  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Designer Drugs ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
School Students ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Significant Relationships

Abstract Introduction: Suicidal behavior and substance abuse constitute a serious public health problem. Aim: The study was to analyze the relationships between suicidal behaviors (ideation, plans, attempts) and substance abuse in adolescents. The authors also took into account the respondents’ motivation to attempt suicide and use psychoactive substances, as well as some demographic variables. Participants: The study involved 3493 secondary school students aged 16-17 years. The group included 69.41% girls and 30.59% boys. Methods: The participants were surveyed with a self-report questionnaire designed by one of the authors. Results: Statistically significant relationships were found between the respondents’ suicidal behaviors and the risky use of alcohol, cannabis, amphetamine, and designer drugs. Conclusions: 1. The use of psychoactive substances increases the risk of suicidal ideation and plans, as well as suicidal attempts in adolescents and young adults. 2. Significantly more respondents who report suicidal ideation, plans and attempts, in comparison to those who do not report such thoughts and behaviours, abuse alcohol and consumer cannabis, amphetamine and designer drugs to cope with problems and olster self-confidence. 3. In the group of respondents who report suicidal behaviour, psychoactive substances are consumed by significantly more men than women and by significantly more city inhabitants than people living in the country. 4. Young people, who report suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts, are initiated into alcohol consumption at an earlier age than their non-suicidal peers.

Assessing social integration in the elderly: development of a brief self-report assessment scale: the social integration and independence questionnaire

1992 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Kowal ◽  
JD Guelfi
Keyword(s):  
Social Integration ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Principle Component Analysis ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Component Analysis ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Principle Component ◽  
The Social

SummaryThe paper describes the construction and validation of a brief self-rating scale for social integration in the elderly: the 17-item Social Integration and Independence Questionnaire (SIIQ). The questionnaire was tested on a sample of 160 individuals over the age of 65. Principle component analysis elicited four factors accounting for 48.8% of the cumulative variance: ‘Independence’, ‘Social Integration’, ‘Familial’ and ‘Depression’ (20.7, 10.6, 9.0 and 8.4% of the cumulative variance). The four factors measure the adjustment of elderly people in the community.

scholarly journals Impact of birth season on the years of life lost from respiratory diseases in the elderly related to ambient PM2.5 exposure in Ningbo, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teng Yang ◽  
Tianfeng He ◽  
Jing Huang ◽  
Guoxing Li
Keyword(s):  
Early Life ◽  
Respiratory Diseases ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Years Of Life Lost ◽  
Exposure Level ◽  
Birth Season ◽  
Modification Effect

Abstract Background Ambient fine particle (PM2.5) pollution is an important public health problem in China. Short-term ambient PM2.5 exposure is associated with increased mortality of respiratory diseases. However, few evidence was available on the effect of exposure to ambient PM2.5 on the years of life lost (YLL) from respiratory diseases in the elderly. Furthermore, birth season which is frequently applied as a proxy for environmental exposure in early life may influence the health outcome in the later life. Nevertheless, the modification effect of birth season on the relationship of PM2.5 exposure and respiratory health need to be explored. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover design was used to analyze YLL from respiratory diseases in the elderly related to ambient PM2.5 exposure between 2013 and 2016 in Ningbo, China. The modification effect of birth season was explored by subgroup comparisons between different birth seasons. Results Each 10 μg/m3 increase in daily ambient PM2.5 was associated with an increment of 1.61 (95% CI 0.12, 3.10) years in YLL from respiratory diseases in the elderly population. Individuals who were born in winter had significantly higher YLL from respiratory diseases associated with ambient PM2.5 exposure than those who were born in other seasons. Conclusions Birth season which reflects the early-life PM2.5 exposure level that may influence the lung development has a potential effect on the disease burden of respiratory diseases related to ambient PM2.5 exposure in later life. The results would provide theoretical basis to protect vulnerable population defined by birth season when exploring the adverse effects of ambient PM2.5 in the respiratory health.

scholarly journals Male Osteoporosis in the Elderly

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrizia D’Amelio ◽  
Giovanni Carlo Isaia
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Fragility Fractures ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Social Costs ◽  
Male Osteoporosis ◽  
Elderly Men ◽  
Important Public Health Problem ◽  
Important Public Health

Osteoporosis is now recognized as an important public health problem in elderly men as fragility fractures are complicated by increased morbidity, mortality, and social costs. This review comprises an overview of recent findings in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of male osteoporosis, with particular regard to the old population.

Too Much to Bear

Crisis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole J. Peak ◽  
James C. Overholser ◽  
Josephine Ridley ◽  
Abby Braden ◽  
Lauren Fisher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicidal Ideation ◽  
Concurrent Validity ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Diagnostic Interview ◽  
Veterans Affairs ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Perceived Burdensomeness ◽  
Scale Method

Abstract. Background: People who feel they have become a burden on others may become susceptible to suicidal ideation. When people no longer feel capable or productive, they may assume that friends and family members would be better off without them. Aim: The present study was designed to assess preliminary psychometric properties of a new measure, the Perceived Burdensomeness (PBS) Scale. Method: Depressed psychiatric patients (N = 173) were recruited from a veterans affairs medical center. Patients were assessed with a structured diagnostic interview and self-report measures assessing perceived burdensomeness, depression severity, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation. Results: The present study supported preliminary evidence of reliability and concurrent validity of the PBS. Additionally, perceived burdensomeness was significantly associated with higher levels of hopelessness and suicidal ideation. Conclusion: It is hoped that with the aid of the PBS clinicians may be able to intervene more specifically in the treatment of suicidality.

A Community-Based Survey and Screening for Depression in the Elderly

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hirofumi Oyama ◽  
Tomoe Sakashita ◽  
Kei Hojo ◽  
Naoki Watanabe ◽  
Tohru Takizawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Depression Screening ◽  
Reference Region ◽  
Elderly Men ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Intervention Region ◽  
Initial Survey

Background: In addition to implementing a depression screening program, conducting a survey beforehand might contribute to suicide risk reduction for the elderly. Aims: This study evaluates outcomes of a community-based program to prevent suicide among individuals aged 60 and over, using a quasiexperimental design with an intervention region (41,337 residents, 35.1% aged 60 and over) and a neighboring reference region. Methods: Our 2-year intervention program included an anonymous survey by random sample in the entire intervention region and, in the second year, a depression screening with follow-up by a psychiatrist in the higher-risk districts. Changes in the risk of completed suicide were estimated by the incidence-rate ratio (IRR). Results: The risk for men in the intervention region was reduced by 61% (age-adjusted IRR = 0.39; 90% CI = 0.18–0.87), whereas there was a (statistically insignificant) 51% risk reduction for women in the intervention region, and no risk reduction for either men or women in the reference region. The ratio of the crude IRR for elderly men in the intervention region to that for all elderly men in Japan was estimated at 0.42 (90% CI = 0.18–0.92), showing that the risk reduction was greater than the national change. Conclusions: The management of depression through a combination of an initial survey and subsequent screening holds clear promise for prompt effectiveness in the prevention of suicide for elderly men, and potentially for women.

Can a Theory of Suicide Predict All “Suicides” in the Elderly?

Crisis ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoon A. Leenaars
Keyword(s):  
Sigmund Freud ◽  
Terminally Ill ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Theory Building ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
Comprehensive Model ◽  
Suicide Notes ◽  
Psychiatric Study

Summary: Older adults consistently have the highest rates of suicide in most societies. Despite the paucity of studies until recently, research has shown that suicides in later life are best understood as a multidimensional event. An especially neglected area of research is the psychological/psychiatric study of personality factors in the event. This paper outlines one comprehensive model of suicide and then raises the question: Is such a psychiatric/psychological theory applicable to all suicides in the elderly? To address the question, I discuss the case of Sigmund Freud; raise the topic of suicide and/or dignified death in the terminally ill; and examine suicide notes of the both terminally ill and nonterminally ill elderly. I conclude that, indeed, greater study and theory building are needed into the “suicides” of the elderly, including those who are terminally ill.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document