What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown?
Abstract Backgrounds During the lockdown period, the challenges faced and their consequences differed by age group, making it necessary to understand the factors influencing suicidal behaviors, such as suicide planning, across different ages. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for suicide...
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BMC
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Archives of Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-025-01574-8 |
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| author | Gyeong A Kang Ju Young Yoon Ji Hye Shin |
| author_facet | Gyeong A Kang Ju Young Yoon Ji Hye Shin |
| author_sort | Gyeong A Kang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Backgrounds During the lockdown period, the challenges faced and their consequences differed by age group, making it necessary to understand the factors influencing suicidal behaviors, such as suicide planning, across different ages. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was performed by combining KNHANES 2020–2021 data for people aged 40 and older with National Mental Health Statistics 2020–2021 data on the number of mental health professionals per capita. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify demographic, health behavior, health status, and health access factors that affected suicide planning by dividing the participants into the middle-aged (40–64 years old) and older adult (65 years old or older) groups. Results The proportion of suicide planning among middle-aged and older adults was 1.21% and 1.36%, respectively. The proportion of participants with suicide plans who had attempted suicide was 20.52% among older adults and 14.09% among middle-aged adults. In both groups, a diagnosis of depression and high stress were consistently associated with suicide planning. In the middle-aged group, current smoking (OR = 2.27, p = 0.023) and unmet healthcare needs (OR = 2.32, p = 0.024) increased the risk of suicide planning. In the older adult group, living alone (OR = 2.72, p = 0.002) increased this risk. Conclusion The prevalence of suicide attempts was higher among those with a suicide plan than among those without a suicide plan. For both middle-aged and older adult groups, it is important to provide mental health care aimed at suicide prevention, especially for those with depressive disorders or high stress levels. Additionally, providing alternative stress management resources for middle-aged smokers and monitoring isolated older adults could be effective prevention strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4457daa2af374a0b8f11e1330dfd1f53 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2049-3258 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-4457daa2af374a0b8f11e1330dfd1f532025-08-20T03:08:02ZengBMCArchives of Public Health2049-32582025-04-018311910.1186/s13690-025-01574-8What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown?Gyeong A Kang0Ju Young Yoon1Ji Hye Shin2College of Nursing, Seoul National UniversityCollege of Nursing, Seoul National UniversityCollege of Nursing, Seoul National UniversityAbstract Backgrounds During the lockdown period, the challenges faced and their consequences differed by age group, making it necessary to understand the factors influencing suicidal behaviors, such as suicide planning, across different ages. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was performed by combining KNHANES 2020–2021 data for people aged 40 and older with National Mental Health Statistics 2020–2021 data on the number of mental health professionals per capita. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify demographic, health behavior, health status, and health access factors that affected suicide planning by dividing the participants into the middle-aged (40–64 years old) and older adult (65 years old or older) groups. Results The proportion of suicide planning among middle-aged and older adults was 1.21% and 1.36%, respectively. The proportion of participants with suicide plans who had attempted suicide was 20.52% among older adults and 14.09% among middle-aged adults. In both groups, a diagnosis of depression and high stress were consistently associated with suicide planning. In the middle-aged group, current smoking (OR = 2.27, p = 0.023) and unmet healthcare needs (OR = 2.32, p = 0.024) increased the risk of suicide planning. In the older adult group, living alone (OR = 2.72, p = 0.002) increased this risk. Conclusion The prevalence of suicide attempts was higher among those with a suicide plan than among those without a suicide plan. For both middle-aged and older adult groups, it is important to provide mental health care aimed at suicide prevention, especially for those with depressive disorders or high stress levels. Additionally, providing alternative stress management resources for middle-aged smokers and monitoring isolated older adults could be effective prevention strategies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-025-01574-8Suicide planCOVID-19Middle-aged adultsOlder adults |
| spellingShingle | Gyeong A Kang Ju Young Yoon Ji Hye Shin What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown? Archives of Public Health Suicide plan COVID-19 Middle-aged adults Older adults |
| title | What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown? |
| title_full | What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown? |
| title_fullStr | What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown? |
| title_full_unstemmed | What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown? |
| title_short | What was associated with suicide planning in middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 lockdown? |
| title_sort | what was associated with suicide planning in middle aged and older adults during the covid 19 lockdown |
| topic | Suicide plan COVID-19 Middle-aged adults Older adults |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-025-01574-8 |
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