Addressing Suicide Disparities Within the Older Adult Population

• Main Author: Wilson, Taureece James
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.2023
• Subjects: Gerontology; Public health; Social work
• ISBN: 9798380614887

Suicide among older adults is a growing public health concern that demands researchers and service providers work together to address it. Older adults have the highest rates of suicide compared to all other age groups worldwide. Critical race theory provides a framework for understanding how suicide disparities arise within the older adult population. Racism is embedded in the social fabric of society, resulting in a myriad of disparity outcomes for older people of color. Suicide prevention often fails to target socio-political factors that contribute to suicide risk. Therefore, this systematic literature review aims to highlight suicide prevention approaches that can be used to address suicide disparities within the older adult population. The author’s theoretical approach to late-life suicide prevention is the integrated motivationalvolitional model of suicidal behavior. This model posits that suicide results from a three-phase process influenced by several suicide risk factors and moderators. The author searched for peer-reviewed articles including samples of older adults aged 60 and over in the United States from 2012 to 2022. The results indicated that gatekeeper approaches, awareness-raising efforts, interventions incorporating both gatekeeping and awareness-raising, peer support models, and community-based interventions significantly reduced suicide disparities within the older adult population. Comprehensive conceptual plans were also mentioned because of their relevance to late-life suicide. Implications for researchers and social workers convey the need to consider the impact of intersectionality on late-life suicide risk and tailor suicide prevention efforts toward promoting inclusivity across social institutions.