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Daily hassles, physical illness, and sleep problems in older adults with wishes to die

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 August 2011

Sylvie Lapierre ,
Richard Boyer ,
Sophie Desjardins ,
Micheline Dubé ,
Dominique Lorrain ,
Michel Préville  and
Joëlle Brassard
Sylvie Lapierre*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
Richard Boyer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Sophie Desjardins
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
Micheline Dubé
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada
Dominique Lorrain
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Michel Préville
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
Joëlle Brassard
Affiliation:
Centre de recherches de l'Hôpital Charles Lemoyne, Greenfield Park, Québec, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Sylvie Lapierre, Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC., CanadaG9A5H7. Phone: 1-819-376-5011 ext. 3531; Fax: 1-819-376-5195. Email: Sylvie.Lapierre@uqtr.ca.
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Abstract

Background: Factors associated with the wish to die should be investigated in order to gain more opportunities for preventive interventions targeting older adults at risk for suicide. The goal of the research was to study the prevalence and associated factors of wishes to die in older adults living in the community using the data from a survey on the prevalence of mental disorders in this population.

Methods: With a representative sample of community living older adults aged 65 years and over (N = 2777), we compared individuals with the wish to die (n = 163) to those without the wish to die on the basis of the presence and severity of daily hassles, physical illness, and sleep quality.

Results: Logistic regression revealed that when depression and sociodemographic variables were held constant, self-rated physical health, number of chronic illnesses, number and intensity of daily hassles, as well as sleep problems were significantly associated with the wish to die in older adults. Painful illnesses and daytime dysfunction due to sleep problems were also associated factors with the wish to die.

Conclusion: Since desire for death is the first step into the suicidal process, health professionals should seriously consider the important and unique contribution of these variables in order to have more opportunities for detection and intervention.

Keywords

suicidal ideationwish for deathsleep disturbancessleep qualitydepressionphysical healthpainnegative events
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 24 , Issue 2 , February 2012 , pp. 243 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2011

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