The study of suicide and its prevention has been dominated by a focus on factors that
increase the risk of an individual dying by suicide. Relatively less attention has
been paid to protective factors, those that reduce the likelihood or mitigate the
impact of suicidal ideation and behavior. [
[1]
] Characteristics of older adults suggest that protective factors could play an important
role in reducing the toll that suicide takes in later life. Suicidal behavior in older
adulthood tends to be more lethal than at younger ages due to the older person's reduced
physical reserves (less likely to survive an injury), greater likelihood of social
isolation (reduced likelihood of detection and rescue), and because a higher proportion
of older adults who do take their own lives use firearms and act with greater planning
and intent to die. [
[2]
] Moving “upstream” to equip older people with resources that protect them from becoming
suicidal, or acting on thoughts of death if they do, may be an effective approach
to decreasing deaths by suicide in later life.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
January 19,
2023
Received:
January 19,
2023
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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- Life-Satisfaction, Engagement, Mindfulness, Flourishing, and Social Support: Do they Predict Depression, Suicide Ideation, and History of Suicide Attempt in Late Life?The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
- PreviewNegative life experiences and stressors have long been understood to precipitate the development of mental disorders.1 Responses to adverse life events are contingent on a variety of individual differences such as cognitive function,2 personality,3 and psychosocial characteristics4 as well as societal factors such as minority stress,5 ageism,6 lack of resources, and socioeconomic status.7 Protective factors are characteristics that can 1) decrease the probability of developing a disorder and/or can 2) lower the severity of a disorder.
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