Models of suicide in elderly: a protocol for a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Elderly individuals exhibit higher suicide rates compared to other age demographics.
• Understanding the underlying models of suicide in later life is essential for developing targeted research, clinical, and educational strategies.
• Existing models require systematic review to inform the field of aging and geriatric mental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and review existing models of suicide with a specific focus on the elderly population.
• To synthesize current theoretical frameworks explaining suicide in later life.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of models relevant to geriatric suicide.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of observational studies (cohort, cross-sectional, case-control) and qualitative studies.
• Inclusion of models specifically describing, explaining, and predicting late-life suicides.
• Exclusion of therapeutic, interventional, rehabilitation, and assisted suicide models.
• Data management using EndNote software with dual independent reviewer data extraction.
• Quality assessment using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for quantitative studies and CASP criteria for qualitative studies.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive list of identified suicide models relevant to the elderly population will be presented.
• Analysis of the characteristics and explanatory power of each model.
• Categorization of models based on their focus and applicability to different subgroups within the elderly population.

Conclusions:

• The review will consolidate existing knowledge on suicide models in the elderly.
• Findings will inform future research directions and clinical practice for preventing suicide in older adults.
• The study aims to enhance understanding and intervention strategies for geriatric suicide.