Citation

Meeks S, Tennyson KB. Journal of Mental Health and Aging 2003; 9(2): 85-96.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Older adults are at an increased risk for suicide over other demographic groups, and nursing home residents, due to physical frailty and social isolation, are likely to be at particular risk. Prior research suggests that hopelessness, a major risk factor and predictor of suicidal ideation and behavior in younger adults, may not have the same relationship to suicidality in older adults. We examined the relationships of hopelessness, depression, and physical health to suicidal ideation in a sample of 39 female nursing home residents. Depression and hopelessness were both positively correlated with suicidal ideation. Hopelessness mediated the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation, consistent with previous findings in young adults, but different from previous studies with elderly samples. Controlling for physical health did not alter the relationship between hopelessness and suicidal ideation. The results highlight the importance of assessing cognitive symptoms of depression, and perhaps of assessing hopelessness even when depression is minimal.

Language: en