Modifying effects of sociodemographic factors on the relationship between living alone and suicidality in older adults

Abstract

Purpose The goal of the current study is to examine how the association between living arrangements and suicidality could be modified by other factors among individuals 50 years of age and older. Methods The data from the 2020 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in the U.S.A. were analyzed to address the research questions. Multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between living arrangements and suicidality adjusting for gender, age, race, income, depression, and alcohol use. Interaction terms consisting of living arrangements and each of the key sociodemographic factors were added to the logistic regression models to evaluate whether the association between living alone and suicidality varied by any of those sociodemographic factors. Results Females living alone had lower odds of suicidality compared to males (adjusted OR = 0.55, p = 0.046), while among Blacks, living alone was associated with higher odds of suicidality (adjusted OR = 2.72, p = 0.035) than Whites. Notably, individuals earning $50,000 - $74,999 annually had lower odds of suicidality when living alone (adjusted OR = 0.26, p = 0.021) compared to those earning less than $20,000 annually. Conclusions The association between living alone and suicidality was more pronounced in males compared with females and Blacks versus Whites but attenuated in individuals with a higher annual income. The results provide some clues to the points of targeted suicide prevention.