kjhp Korean Journal of Health Promotion Korean J Health Promot 2234-2141 2093-5676 The Korean Society of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 10.15384/kjhp.2015.15.2.54 kjhp-15-54 Original Article The Risk Factors of Suicidal Ideation by Age Groups among the Elderly in Korea KimEun Kyung Department of Nursing, Suwon Science College, Hwaseong, Korea ￭ Corresponding author：Eun Kyung Kim, PhD Department of Nursing, Suwon Science College, 288 Seja-ro, Jeongnam-myeon, Hwaseong 445-742, Korea Tel: +82-31-350-2430, Fax: +82-31-350-2076 E-mail: ekkim430@ssc.ac.kr 122015 19122015 152 5462 30092014 22052015 Copyright © 2015 The Korean Society of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 2015 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Background

This study aimed to compare the prevalence and risk factors of suicidal ideation by age groups among the elderly in Korea.

 Methods

This cross-sectional study used Fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (V-3, 2012). The participants were divided into two age groups: the young-old (n=1,016, 65-74 years), old-old (n=579, 75 years or greater) groups. Multiple logistic regression was used for data analysis.

 Results

The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 19.6% of young-old and 22.7% of old-old, respectively. There was no difference on prevalence of suicidal ideation by age groups. Risk factors of suicidal ideation differ by age groups. In the young-old group, higher suicidal ideation showed significant correlation with a higher level of depression, perceived stress and a lower level of education, self-rated health. In the old-old group, higher suici-dal ideation showed significant correlation with a higher level of depression, perceived stress, restriction of ac-tivity, and pain/discomfort.

 Conclusions

Age group-specific nursing strategies may be required for prevention of suicidal ideation in elderly.

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Characteristics and suicidal ideation according to age-specific groups (n=1,595)

Characteristics Young-old elderly (n=1,016) Old-old elderly (n=579) χ2/t Pa
Mean (±SD)/N (%) Mean (±SD)/N (%)
Suicidal ideation Yes 172 (19.6) 108 (22.7) 1.38 0.242
No 774 (80.4) 375 (77.3)
Sociodemographic characteristics
Age, y Sex Male 69.31 (±0.12) 452 (45.4) 78.68 (±0.18) 221 (34.9) 9.29 0.003
Female 564 (54.6) 358 (65.1)
Education ≤Elementary 547 (60.5) 356 (77.3) 26.59 <0.001
Middle≤ 401 (39.5) 127 (22.7)
Living condition With family 765 (75.4) 289 (47.4) 80.03 <0.001
Place of residence Alone Rural 243 (24.6) 730 (70.6) 288 (52.6) 344 (59.1) 3.16 0.003
Urban 286 (29.4) 235 (40.9)
Household income 1 quartile (lowest) 411 (41.7) 352 (65.2) 55.17 <0.001
2 quartile≤ 584 (58.3) 217 (34.8)
Health characteristics
Chronic disease Yes No 388 (38.7) 628 (61.3) 211 (35.4) 368 (64.6) 1.07 0.301
Restriction of activity Yes 153 (17.9) 104 (21.9) 1.68 0.197
No 799 (82.1) 381 (78.1)
Pain/discomfort Yes 264 (27.8) 188 (37.7) 10.38 0.002
No 690 (72.2) 304 (62.3)
Depression Yes 133 (14.9) 86 (19.2) 2.46 0.118
Self-rated health No Bad 814 (85.1) 290 (32.4) 396 (80.8) 180 (37.3) 2.77 0.098
Good 663 (67.6) 313 (62.7)
Perceived stress More 195 (20.9) 101 (21.7) 0.08 0.775
Less 751 (79.1) 379 (78.3)
Walking, min 74.89 (±3.45) 57.55 (±3.65) 2.64 0.106
Sleeping, h 6.44 (±0.06) 6.58 (±0.11) 0.01 0.912

Calculated by chi-square test/t-test.

Factors related to suicidal ideation in the young-old elderly (n=1,016)

Characteristics Model 1b Model 2c
OR (95% CI) Pa OR (95% CI) Pa
Sociodemographic characteriistics
Sex Male 0.83 (0.52-.1.32) 0.830 1.00 (0.50-2.00) 0.990
Female 1 1
Education ≤Elementary Middle≤ 2.29 1 (1.38-3.80) 0.001 2.23 1 (1.10-4.51) 0.025
Living condition With family 0.90 (0.56-1.46) 0.678 1.26 (0.57-2.79) 0.565
Alone 1 1
Place of residence Rural 0.88 (0.58-1.32) 0.538 0.71 (0.38-1.34) 0.295
Urban 1 1
Household income 1 quartile (lowest) 1.33 (0.83-2.12) 0.226 0.84 (0.47-1.53) 0.585
2 quartile≤ 1 1
Negelkerke R2 0.06
F (P) 4.46 (0.001)
Health characteristics
Chronic disease Yes 0.71 (0.38-1.33) 0.294
No 1
Restriction of activity Yes No 1.35 1 (0.56-3.25) 0.501
Pain/discomfort Yes 1.39 (0.76-2.54) 0.273
No 1
Depression Yes 14.15 (6.13-32.65) <0.001
No 1
Self-rated health Poor Good 2.67 1 (1.52-4.69) 0.001
Perceived stress More 2.31 (1.10-4.82) 0.026
Less 1
Walking 1.00 (0.99-1.00) 0.828
Sleeping 1.08 (0.98-1.31) 0.400
Negelkerke R2 0.40
F (P) 8.17 (<0.001)

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval.

Assessed by multiple logistic regression.

Entered variables in model 1 were sociodemographic characteristics.

Entered variables in model 2 were sociodemographic and health characteristics.

Factors related to suicidal ideation in the old-old elderly (n=579)

Characteristics Model 1b Model 2c
OR (95% CI) Pa OR (95% CI) Pa
Sociodemographic characteristics
Sex Male 0.77 (0.35-.1.70) 0.523 - - -
Female 1
Education ≤Elementary 1.77 (0.77-4.05) 0.170 - - -
Middle≤ 1
Living condition With family 0.78 (0.43-1.41) 0.416 - - -
Alone 1
Place of residence Rural 1.21 (0.68-2.17) 0.500 - - -
Urban 1
Household income 1 quartile (lowest) 0.80 (0.44-1.45) 0.477 - - -
2 quartile≤ 1
Negelkerke R2 0.04
F (P) 1.37 (0.236)
Health characteristics
Chronic disease Yes 1.32 (0.45-3.82) 0.602
No 1
Restriction of activity Yes 3.11 (1.28-7.53) 0.012
No 1
Pain/discomfort Yes 2.54 (1.15-5.63) 0.021
No 1
Depression Yes 2.49 (1.09-5.68) 0.030
No 1
Self-rated health Poor 1.52 (0.72-3.21) 0.269
Good 1
Perceived stress More 3.21 (1.28-8.01) 0.013
Less 1
Walking 0.99 (0.99-1.00) 0.746
Sleeping 1.18 (0.95-1.48) 0.124
Negelkerke R2 0.31
F (P) 5.08 (<0.001)

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval.

Assessed by multiple logistic regression.

Entered variables in model 1 were sociodemographic characteristics.

Entered variables in model 2 were health characteristics.