Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People

Abstract

Background: Globally, suicide is regarded as an immoral behavior and can be considered a criminal act in some societies. Sociological narrative views suicide not only as a result of mental illness suffered by the individuals but may also be caused by the social environment and other risk factors. Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine the social risk factors that drive older people to have suicidal feelings or tendencies and the extent to which these factors arise from the changes that occur in their social environment as a result of the process of modernization and industrialization. Methods: This study employed the phenomenological approach through qualitative data collection technique. A total of 20 informants comprising 10 males and 10 females of Malay, Chinese and Indian ethnicity were selected for the study using purposive sampling technique. In-depth interviews were conducted with the informants. Data were transcribed and subsequently analyzed thematically using the NVivo 11 software. Results: The findings revealed five conditions that led older people toward suicidal intentions. These include social and cultural changes, lack of social support, conflict in religious belief, influence of economic uncertainty and socio-economic status, and depression as a result of the changes in their social environment. Conclusion:The implication of this research is that these factors affect older people directly as they struggle to adapt and respond to the major changes that occur in the social structure of the society they live in, stemming from the process of modernization and industrialization. Efforts to enact better policies and services for older people need to be addressed especially in developing countries based on assessment of their needs, weaknesses, strengths, and capabilities by incorporating elements of the worldview of the older people based on their experiences of daily lives.

Suicide ideation in older people: a qualitative review and Meta-aggregation of Asian studies

“…The studies identified were published between 2009 and 2021. There were seven studies conducted in three countries, four from Taiwan ( 23–25 , 32 ), two from South Korea ( 19 , 20 ) and one from Malaysia ( 33 ). The total sample size was 177 participants all aged over 60 years of age.…”

“…The settings varied between studies with two being conducted in veterans homes ( 25 , 32 ), three in psychiatric out-patient clinics ( 20 , 23 , 24 ), one in a long term care hospital ( 19 ) and one in the home environment ( 33 ). All of the studies included used a variety or recognized qualitative research designs to data collection and data analysis – two used descriptive phenomenology ( 19 , 25 ), three used content analysis ( 20 , 23 , 24 ) and two used thematic analysis ( 32 , 33 ). Individual interviews were the preferred approach to data collection in all studies ( Table 3 ).…”

“…For example, one participant spoke of feeling betrayed and treated unfairly by friends and therefore decided that one way to “prove his innocence” was to attempt suicide ( 32 ). These experiences may be viewed as a collection of uncaring behaviors on the part of family and friends, yet for the older person experiencing them it creates a stressful situation one in which leaves them feeling angry and scared ( 33 ). Moreover, it is apparent that older people in this context often cannot find the proper way to effectively communicate and/or solve the problems they experience.…”

“…One older woman described her increasingly heavy reliance on her children to help with activities of daily living, but because of the “high time cost” associated with the type of care she needed, she was considered a burden by them. Moreover, she went onto state that she would rather voluntarily opt to being admitted to residential aged care facility than to continuing experience, what she describes as, the unbearable negligence and disrespectfulness of her children ( 33 ). These experiences of disrespect and impertinence were not isolated incidences, but importantly served as triggers to increased thoughts and at times acts of suicide simply because the older person’s presence was seen as unimportant and/or burdensome.…”

“…One older man stated that he was afraid of being alone, particularly after his son moved out and the house was now empty ( 24 ). Being alone was one of the immediate reasons for loneliness and this was amplified when the older person lacked any sort of family support and therefore felt abandoned, which unfortunately reinforced those feelings of helplessness ( 33 ). Some of the participants were quick to point out the challenges they experienced when attempting to raise concerns about feeling and being alone with relatives who could neither understand nor be in a position to discuss these concerns with them.…”