Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People

Novel Lyndon,1 Hazita Azman,2 Rosniza Aznie Che Rose,3 Mohd Fuad Mat Jali3 1Anthropology and Sociology Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia; 2Centre for Literacy and Sociocultural Transformation, Faculty of Social Scie...

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Main Authors: Lyndon N, Azman H, Che Rose RA, Mat Jali MF
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-07-01
Series:Clinical Interventions in Aging
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.dovepress.com/sociological-narrative-of-suicidal-behavior-among-older-people-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CIA
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author Lyndon N
Azman H
Che Rose RA
Mat Jali MF
author_facet Lyndon N
Azman H
Che Rose RA
Mat Jali MF
author_sort Lyndon N
collection DOAJ
description Novel Lyndon,1 Hazita Azman,2 Rosniza Aznie Che Rose,3 Mohd Fuad Mat Jali3 1Anthropology and Sociology Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia; 2Centre for Literacy and Sociocultural Transformation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia; 3Geography Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Novel LyndonAnthropology and Sociology Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, MalaysiaTel +603-89214212Email novel@ukm.edu.myBackground: 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.Keywords: suicide, sociology, modernization, older people, social environment
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spelling doaj.art-54bfe334e2774489ac54bcd79d3f80b12022-12-21T21:21:10ZengDove Medical PressClinical Interventions in Aging1178-19982021-07-01Volume 161379139267013Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older PeopleLyndon NAzman HChe Rose RAMat Jali MFNovel Lyndon,1 Hazita Azman,2 Rosniza Aznie Che Rose,3 Mohd Fuad Mat Jali3 1Anthropology and Sociology Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia; 2Centre for Literacy and Sociocultural Transformation, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, Malaysia; 3Geography Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, MalaysiaCorrespondence: Novel LyndonAnthropology and Sociology Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, 43600, MalaysiaTel +603-89214212Email novel@ukm.edu.myBackground: 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.Keywords: suicide, sociology, modernization, older people, social environmenthttps://www.dovepress.com/sociological-narrative-of-suicidal-behavior-among-older-people-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CIAsuicidesociologymodernizationolder peoplesocial environment
spellingShingle Lyndon N
Azman H
Che Rose RA
Mat Jali MF
Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People
Clinical Interventions in Aging
suicide
sociology
modernization
older people
social environment
title Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People
title_full Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People
title_fullStr Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People
title_full_unstemmed Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People
title_short Sociological Narrative of Suicidal Behavior Among Older People
title_sort sociological narrative of suicidal behavior among older people
topic suicide
sociology
modernization
older people
social environment
url https://www.dovepress.com/sociological-narrative-of-suicidal-behavior-among-older-people-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-CIA
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