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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Sense of coherence in elderly suicide attempters
— the impact of social and health-related factors | | Author(s) | Madeleine Mellqvist, Stefan Wiktorsson, Erik Joas |
| Journal title | International Psychogeriatrics, vol 23, no 6, August 2011 |
| Pages | pp 986-993 |
| Source | http://www.journals.cambridge.org/ipg |
| Keywords | Suicide ; Over 70s ; Well being ; Depression ; Ill health ; Sweden. |
| Annotation | An association between sense of coherence (SOC) and suicidal behaviour has been suggested. The aim of this Swedish study was to identify factors associated with low SOC in older suicide attempters. 80 non-demented hospital-treated suicide attempters aged 70 years and older (38 men, 42 women, mean age 79.4 years) took part in an interview with a research psychologist and completed the 29-item SOC questionnaire. The interview included questions regarding social situation and health-related factors. The Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) provided symptom ratings that were used in a diagnostic algorithm for DSM-IV major depression. The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G) was used to identify individuals with serious physical illness. Results showed that there was a strong relationship between major depression and SOC. While no relationship was found between severe physical illness and SOC, associations were demonstrated with social variables including too little time spent with children, too little time spent with grandchildren and having moved within the past five years. These associations remained significant in regression models adjusted for sex, age and major depression. The authors conclude that a number of social variables were independently related to SOC in older suicide attempters. Prospective studies are needed in order to determine whether SOC-strengthening interventions can reduce the risk of suicidal behaviour in older adults. (JL). |
| Accession Number | CPA-110913012 A |
| Classmark | EV: BBK: D:F:5HH: ENR: CH: 76P |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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