Research on suicide rarely focuses on protective factors. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the evidence of the associations between protective factors and reduced suicidality among older adults.

First, a scoping review was conducted to identify pertinent terms that refer to various protective factors against suicidality. A systematic review, following the PRISMA guidelines, was then conducted on a selection of 15 protective factors (e.g., perceived control, well-being and quality of life, life satisfaction, purpose-in-life, resilience, coping, religiosity, hope, self-regulation, sense of belonging, mattering, positive relationship, social support, social connectedness, and social participation), with separate searches performed on each factor in five databases. Empirical studies were eligible if participants were adults aged 60 years and over, and if the studies reported predictive statistical analysis.

A total of 70 studies were retained for the review. Suicidal ideation was the main outcome measure (91%). Significant associations were consistently observed between all protective factors and reduced suicidal ideations or behaviors, particularly for purpose-in-life, resilience, and positive relationships, indicating that these are solid components for suicide prevention. Using scales, instead of a single item, to measure protective factors (e.g. life satisfaction) was more efficient to capture the associations. On the other hand, results were similar whether studies used subjective (e.g., sense of belonging) or objective (e.g., social connectedness) measures.

Protective factors were inversely associated with suicidal ideation. Improving protective factors is essential for the development of late-life suicide prevention and interventions, instead of merely focusing on risk factors.

To examine the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and early and late-onset suicidal behavior among depressed older adults.

Cross-sectional study.

Inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services in Pennsylvania.

Our sample included 224 adults aged 50+ (M ± SD = 62.5 ± 7.4) recruited into three depressed groups: (1) 84 suicide attempters, (2) 44 suicide ideators, and (3) 58 non-suicidal comparisons, and a non-psychiatric healthy comparison group (N = 38).

The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire measured experiences of childhood trauma such as emotional abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, and sexual abuse.

Attempters were separated into early- and late-onset based on age of first attempt using a statistical algorithm that identified a cutoff age of 30 years old. Overall, we found group differences in emotional and physical abuse and neglect in both genders and sexual abuse in females, but not in males. Early-onset attempters experienced more childhood emotional abuse and neglect than late-onset attempters and were more likely to have experienced multiple forms of abuse. They also experienced more emotional abuse and neglect than all comparison groups. Consistently, early-onset attempters more often met criteria for current or lifetime PTSD relative to late-onset attempters and most comparison groups. Late-onset attempters had similar levels of childhood trauma as other depressed groups.

Our study reaffirms that there are distinct pathways to suicidal behavior in older adults based on their age of first suicide attempt and that trauma experienced in childhood has long-lasting emotional and behavioral consequences, even into late life.

Gender norms embedded in communities may restrict opportunities and harm the mental health of older adults, yet this phenomenon has received little attention. This study investigates the connection between older adults’ perceptions of community gender norms and mental health and suicide-related outcomes.

Cross-sectional.

This study analyzed data from the 2019 wave of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.

In total, 25,937 participants aged 65 years or older in 61 municipalities.

Perceptions of community gender norms were assessed by the respondents’ perceptions of the gender-differentiating language used by those around them such as “You should/should not do XXX, because you are a man/woman.”

The prevalence of all mental health outcomes was higher among both men and women who perceived community gender norms as restrictive. These associations remained in fully adjusted multivariable analyses. Prevalence ratios for men were 1.36 [95% confidence interval: 1.13, 1.65] for psychological resistance to obtaining help, 1.85 [1.54, 2.23] for depressive symptoms, 1.99 [1.34, 2.96] for suicidal ideation, and 2.15 [1.21, 3.80] for suicide attempts. The corresponding figures for women were 1.39 [1.17, 1.65], 1.80 [1.55, 2.10], 2.13 [1.65, 2.74], 2.62 [1.78, 3.87]. There was a more pronounced association between perceiving community gender norms as restrictive and depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviors among those with nonconventional gender role attitudes compared to those with conventional attitudes.

Considering the effects of community gender norms, in addition to individual gender role attitudes, may be critical in designing effective public health interventions for improving mental health.

To examine trends in rates of self-harm among emergency department (ED) presenting older adults in Ireland over a 13-year period.

Population-based study using data from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland.

National hospital EDs.

Older adults aged 60 years and over presenting with self-harm to hospital EDs in Ireland between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2019.

ED self-harm presentations.

Between 2007 and 2019, there were 6931 presentations of self-harm in older adults. The average annual self-harm rate was 57.8 per 100,000 among older adults aged 60 years and over. Female rates were 1.1 times higher compared to their male counterparts (61.4 vs 53.9 per 100,000). Throughout the study time frame, females aged 60–69 years had the highest rates (88.1 per 100,000), while females aged 80 years and over had the lowest rates (18.7 per 100,000). Intentional drug overdose was the most commonly used method (75.5%), and alcohol was involved in 30.3% of presentations. Between the austerity and recession years (2007–2012), self-harm presentations were 7% higher compared to 2013–2019 (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.07 95% CI 1.02–1.13, p = 0.01).

Findings indicate that self-harm in older adults remains a concern with approximately 533 presentations per year in Ireland. While in younger age groups, females report higher rates of self-harm, this gender difference was reversed in the oldest age group (80 years and over), with higher rates of self-harm among males. Austerity/recession years (2007–2012) had significantly higher rates of self-harm compared to subsequent years.

This study aimed to examine the impact of community mental health (CMH) care following index hospital-treated intentional self-harm (ISH) on all-cause mortality. A secondary aim was to describe patterns of CMH care surrounding index hospital-treated ISH.

A longitudinal whole-of-population record linkage study was conducted (2014–2019), with index ISH hospitalization (Emergency Department and/or hospital admissions) linked to all available hospital, deaths/cause of death, and CMH data.

Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW) comprised approximately 7.7 million people during the study period. CMH services are provided statewide, to assess and treat non-admitted patients, including post-discharge review.

Individuals with an index hospital presentation in NSW of ISH during the study period, aged 45 years or older.

CMH care within 14 days from index, versus not.

Cox-proportionate hazards regression analysis evaluated all-cause mortality risk, adjusted for relevant covariates.

Totally, 24,544 persons aged 45 years or older experienced a nonfatal hospital-treated ISH diagnosis between 2014 and 2019. CMH care was received by 56% within 14 days from index. Survival analysis demonstrated this was associated with 34% lower risk of death, adjusted for age, sex, marital status, index diagnosis, and 14-day hospital readmission (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58, 0.74, p < 0.001). Older males and chronic injury conveyed significantly greater risk of death overall.

CMH care within 14 days of index presentation for self-harm may reduce the risk of all-cause mortality. Greater effort is needed to engage older males presenting for self-harm in ongoing community mental health care.

To examine predictors of suicidal behavior (SB) in adults aged 75 years and above with dementia.

Longitudinal national register-based study.

Swedish residents aged ≥75 years with dementia identified in the Swedish Dementia Registry (SveDem) between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2017 (N = 59 042) and followed until 31 December 2018. Data were linked with numerous national registers using personal identity numbers.

Outcomes were nonfatal self-harm and suicide. Fine and Gray regression models were used to investigate demographics, comorbidities, and psychoactive medications associated with fatal and nonfatal SB.

Suicidal behavior was observed in 160 persons after dementia diagnosis; 29 of these died by suicide. Adjusted sub-hazard ratio (aSHRs) for SB was increased in those who had a previous episode of self-harm (aSHR = 14.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 7.06–29.46), those with serious depression (aSHR = 4.33, 95%CI = 2.94–6.4), and in those born outside Sweden (aSHR = 1.53; 95% CI = 1.03–2.27). Use of hypnotics or anxiolytics was also associated with a higher risk of SB; use of antidepressants was not. Milder dementia and higher frailty score also increased risk of SB. Risk was decreased in those who received home care (aSHR = 0.52; 95%CI = 0.38–0.71) and in the oldest group (aSHR = 0.35; 95%CI = 0.25–0.49).

In addition to established targets for suicidal behavior prevention (improved identification and treatment of depression and previous self-harm), several new risk factors were suggested. There is a need for innovative public health strategies to meet the needs of older dementia patients with a foreign background. Home care may have a potential positive effect to prevent SB in people with dementia, but this needs to be further explored.