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Suicide and Depression in the Elderly

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
2. Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Korea
Interests: preventive medicine; public health; health policy; health system; elder population; depression; suicide

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Guest Editor
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon, Korea
Interests: preventive medicine; medical law & ethics; health policy and management; ecudation of medical humanities; suicide prevention

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Guest Editor
1. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Korea
2. Severance Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
Interests: adult psychiatry; mental health policy; depression; schizophrenia; suicide prevention

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Depression and suicide in the elderly population are not only leading causes of death worldwide, but these issues have also seen significant increases. In the 2018 OECD statistics, the suicide mortality rate among the elderly (over 65) was 18.8 per 100,000 people, and the proportion of older individuals with suicide attempts or suicides was also high. Furthermore, several epidemiological surveys of depression showed that the prevalence of elderly depression was from 15% to 35% among elders (age over 65). As the world is entering into an aging society, it is necessary to prepare for increasing suicide and depression in older adults.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to share insights regarding the risk factors, current status, and various policies for preventing depression and suicide in the elderly population. In this Special Issue, interested authors are invited to contribute their research in the field of suicide and depression in the elderly. Research topics may include:

  • Various risk factors, including socio-economic factors, physical factors, genetic factors, or other psychiatric factors, including dementia;
  • The current state of mental health in the elderly, including social effects and costs of suicide and depression;
  • Suggestions on policies to reduce suicide and depression in elderly populations—for instance, the effectiveness of policies and programs implemented.

Studies involving the following keywords are welcome for this Special issue in IJERPH.

Dr. Sung-In Jang
Dr. Suk-Yong Jang
Dr. Hyun Kyu Kim
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • depression
  • suicide
  • elderly
  • risk factors
  • chronic disease
  • socioeconomic factors
  • suicide prevention
  • health policy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 491 KiB  
Article
Factors Related to Suicidal Ideation and Prediction of High-Risk Groups among Youngest-Old Adults in South Korea
by Eungyung Kim and Jee-Seon Yi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 10028; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191610028 - 14 Aug 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1832
Abstract
(1) Background: The suicide of older adults shows different factors between the youngest-old adults and the old-old adults. This study aimed to identify factors predicting suicidal ideation among youngest-old adults (ages 65 to 74 years) and predict high-risk groups’ characteristics. (2) Methods: The [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The suicide of older adults shows different factors between the youngest-old adults and the old-old adults. This study aimed to identify factors predicting suicidal ideation among youngest-old adults (ages 65 to 74 years) and predict high-risk groups’ characteristics. (2) Methods: The subjects of this study were 970 youngest-old adults who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES VIII Year 1, 2019). Logistic regression analysis identified factors related to suicidal ideation, and decision tree analysis identified combined characteristics among high-risk groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0. (3) Results: Suicidal ideation became more common among those with relatively lower income levels (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.04–2.12), those whom had experienced depression (OR = 9.28, 95% CI = 4.57–18.84), those with relatively higher stress levels (OR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.11–5.28), and those reporting a relatively worse perceived health (OR = 1.88, 95% CI = 1.23–3.11). Complex characteristics that combined depression, low personal income level, and low perceived health predicted a high risk of suicidal ideation (64.6%, p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: The findings indicate that this high-risk group should be prioritized when developing suicide prevention strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Depression in the Elderly)
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11 pages, 709 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Transitions in Caregiving Status on Depressive Symptoms among Older Family Caregivers: Findings from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging
by Kyungduk Hurh, Hin Moi Youn, Yoon Sik Park, Eun-Cheol Park and Sung-In Jang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010042 - 23 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2552
Abstract
This study identifies the effects of transitions in caregiving status on depressive symptoms among middle-aged or older adults who care for family members with limitations in activities of daily living (ADL). Data were collected from the 2006–2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. A [...] Read more.
This study identifies the effects of transitions in caregiving status on depressive symptoms among middle-aged or older adults who care for family members with limitations in activities of daily living (ADL). Data were collected from the 2006–2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. A total of 7817 subjects were included. On the basis of their caregiving status transition, participants were categorized into four groups: started caregiving, continued caregiving, stopped caregiving, and noncaregivers. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10 item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Analysis using a generalized estimating equation model and subgroup analyses were conducted. Compared to noncaregivers, women who started caregiving showed more depressive symptoms in the following year (β 0.761, p < 0.0001). Regardless of sex, older adults who continued caregiving had more depressive symptoms than noncaregivers did (β 0.616, p < 0.0277 in men, and β 1.091, p < 0.0001 in women). After relinquishing caregiving responsibilities to other caregivers, participants’ depressive symptoms in the following year showed no statistically significant difference from that of noncaregivers. Thus, starting or continuing caregiving was associated with increased depressive symptoms, and those symptoms could be normalized by stopping caregiving. Intervention strategies to reduce family caregivers’ depressive symptoms are needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Suicide and Depression in the Elderly)
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