INTERNALIZED AGEISM AS A RISK FACTOR FOR SUICIDAL IDEATION IN LATER LIFE
2024

Ageism and Suicidal Thoughts in Older Adults

Sample size: 454 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Gendron Tracey, Camp Alyssa, Gigi Amateau

Primary Institution: Virginia Commonwealth University

Hypothesis

Does internalized and relational ageism contribute to suicidal ideation in older adults beyond demographic factors?

Conclusion

Internalized ageism significantly increases the risk of suicidal ideation among older adults.

Supporting Evidence

  • Twelve percent of respondents reported experiencing suicidal ideation in the past month.
  • Internalized ageism had the strongest association with suicidal ideation among all independent variables.

Takeaway

Older people who feel dismissed because of their age are more likely to think about suicide.

Methodology

An online survey was conducted with volunteers aged 65 and older to assess the impact of ageism on suicidal ideation.

Participant Demographics

Participants were individuals aged 65 and older from over 30 states in the United States.

Statistical Information

Confidence Interval

[1.00, 1.15]; [1.07, 1.32]

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.0015

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