Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study

Background: Although late-life suicide in rural China is a matter of concern, research is scarce addressing the association between capability of daily living activities, family function, and late-life suicide. We conducted this psychological autopsy study to explore associations between disability...

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Main Authors: Rifang Cao, Cunxian Jia, Zhenyu Ma, Lu Niu, Liang Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00827/full
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author Rifang Cao
Cunxian Jia
Zhenyu Ma
Lu Niu
Liang Zhou
author_facet Rifang Cao
Cunxian Jia
Zhenyu Ma
Lu Niu
Liang Zhou
author_sort Rifang Cao
collection DOAJ
description Background: Although late-life suicide in rural China is a matter of concern, research is scarce addressing the association between capability of daily living activities, family function, and late-life suicide. We conducted this psychological autopsy study to explore associations between disability in daily living activities, family dysfunction, and late-life suicide in rural China.Methods: Using a 1:1 matched case–control design, we collected data from 242 elderly suicide cases and 242 living community controls in rural China using the psychological autopsy method. We used Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), and Family Adaptive, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve scale (APGAR) to assess the presence of mental disorders, capability of daily living activities, and family function, respectively.Results: Compared with the living controls, suicide cases presented more severe impairment in capability of daily living activities and poorer family function. After controlling for all other factors, capability of daily living activities and family function remained in the final model. The results of the multivariate analysis also show that the presence of a mental disorder, lower levels of social support, and increased number of life events in the last year were significantly associated with elevated suicide risk.Conclusions: Disability in daily living activities and family dysfunction are associated with elevated risk of late-life suicide in rural China. It is warranted to design programs, including family interventions, peer-support groups, and community programs, to help the rural elderly improve activities of daily living and obtain the social support they need to prevent suicidal behaviors.
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spelling doaj.art-751eb3bca12447239996b423f718369a2022-12-21T22:38:13ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402019-11-011010.3389/fpsyt.2019.00827482928Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy StudyRifang Cao0Cunxian Jia1Zhenyu Ma2Lu Niu3Liang Zhou4Department of Medical Affairs,The Seventh People’s Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, ChinaDepartment of Social Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Social Psychiatry, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University (Guangzhou Huiai Hospital), Guangzhou, ChinaBackground: Although late-life suicide in rural China is a matter of concern, research is scarce addressing the association between capability of daily living activities, family function, and late-life suicide. We conducted this psychological autopsy study to explore associations between disability in daily living activities, family dysfunction, and late-life suicide in rural China.Methods: Using a 1:1 matched case–control design, we collected data from 242 elderly suicide cases and 242 living community controls in rural China using the psychological autopsy method. We used Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), and Family Adaptive, Partnership, Growth, Affection and Resolve scale (APGAR) to assess the presence of mental disorders, capability of daily living activities, and family function, respectively.Results: Compared with the living controls, suicide cases presented more severe impairment in capability of daily living activities and poorer family function. After controlling for all other factors, capability of daily living activities and family function remained in the final model. The results of the multivariate analysis also show that the presence of a mental disorder, lower levels of social support, and increased number of life events in the last year were significantly associated with elevated suicide risk.Conclusions: Disability in daily living activities and family dysfunction are associated with elevated risk of late-life suicide in rural China. It is warranted to design programs, including family interventions, peer-support groups, and community programs, to help the rural elderly improve activities of daily living and obtain the social support they need to prevent suicidal behaviors.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00827/fulldaily living activitiesfamily functionsuicideolder peopleChina
spellingShingle Rifang Cao
Cunxian Jia
Zhenyu Ma
Lu Niu
Liang Zhou
Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study
Frontiers in Psychiatry
daily living activities
family function
suicide
older people
China
title Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study
title_full Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study
title_fullStr Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study
title_full_unstemmed Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study
title_short Disability in Daily Living Activities, Family Dysfunction, and Late-Life Suicide in Rural China: A Case–Control Psychological Autopsy Study
title_sort disability in daily living activities family dysfunction and late life suicide in rural china a case control psychological autopsy study
topic daily living activities
family function
suicide
older people
China
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00827/full
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