Study on Mental Health and Suicide Risk Factors among Elderly Residents in Gyeongsangbuk-do
- Author:
Jeong Ryeong KIM
1
;
Kwang Hun LEE
;
Sang Kyu KIM
;
Kyung Phil KWAK
;
Jeong Kyu SAKONG
Author Information
1. Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, korea
- Publication Type:Original Article
- From:
Journal of the Korean Society of Biological Therapies in Psychiatry
2021;27(3):208-218
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Objectives:：The purpose of this study was to identify suicide risk factors among elderly residents in Gyeongsangbuk-do and to reveal the relationships between them. In addition, the differences in suicide risk factors were analyzed between the cognitively impaired group and the cognitively normal group.
Methods:：We investigated 20,127 elderly over 65 years of age, from January 2019 to December 2019. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire survey. Cognitive function, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and suicidal ideation data were assessed using a Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination for Dementia Screening (MMSE-DS), Short Geriatric Depression Scale for Korean version (S-GDS), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI). Data were analyzed using the chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis to examine suicide risk factors and the relationships between them. Furthermore, differences in suicide risk factors according to cognitive function were examined.
Results:：Age, cognitive function, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance were identified as suicide risk factors among elderly residents in Gyeongsangbuk-do. Depression was the factor that increased risk of suicide the most, followed by anxiety, impaired cognitive function, sleep disturbance, and 65-74 years of age. In addition, depression increased risk of suicide by 1.86 times in the cognitively impaired group.
Conclusions:：Among elderly residents in Gyeongsangbuk-do, depression was the factor that contributed the highest risk for suicide. More active prevention and treatment measures for depressive symptoms should be implemented in the cognitively impaired group.
