Cecilia Holmstrand1, Ingalill Rahm Hallberg2, Kai Saks3, Helena Leino-Kilpi4, Anna Renom Guiteras5,6, Hilde Verbeek7, Adelaida Zabalegui8, Caroline Sutcliffe9, Connie Lethin2,10. 1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Psychiatry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 2. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. 3. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. 4. Department of Nursing Science and Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. 5. Faculty of Health, Department of Nursing Science, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany. 6. Geriatrics Department, University Hospital Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain. 7. Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 8. Vice Director of Nursing, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Spain. 9. Personal Social Services Research Unit, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Division of Population Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. 10. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Clinical Memory Research Unit, Lund University, Lund/Malmö, Sweden.
Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of suicidal ideation and associated factors in older persons with dementia living at home in eight European countries, and its association with quality of life. Furthermore, changes in suicidal ideation over time were investigated. Methods: This cohort study (n = 1,223) was part of the European "RightTimePlaceCare" project conducted in 2010-2013. Participating countries were Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Baseline and follow-up data were analysed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The occurrence of suicidal ideation in the participating countries varied between 6% and 24%. Factors significantly (p < 0.0018) associated with suicidal ideation using bivariate analysis were: nationality, depressive symptoms, delusions, hallucinations, agitation, anxiety, apathy, disinhibition, irritability, night-time behaviour disturbances, anxiolytics and anti-dementia medication. In the multivariate regression analysis, country of origin, moderate stage of the dementia, depressive and delusional symptoms, and anti-dementia medication were significantly associated with suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). Over time, suicidal ideation decreased from severe to mild or became absent in 54% of the persons with dementia. Conclusion: It is essential that professionals identify older persons with dementia and suicidal ideation and depressive and other psychological symptoms in order to give them appropriate treatment and provide relief for their informal caregivers. We emphasize the importance of identifying suicidal ideation, irrespective of depressive symptoms, and specifically of paying attention to persons with moderate dementia. Living with the informal caregiver seems to be associated with staying stable without suicidal ideation.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of suicidal ideation and associated factors in older persons with dementia living at home in eight European countries, and its association with quality of life. Furthermore, changes in suicidal ideation over time were investigated. Methods: This cohort study (n = 1,223) was part of the European "RightTimePlaceCare" project conducted in 2010-2013. Participating countries were Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Baseline and follow-up data were analysed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: The occurrence of suicidal ideation in the participating countries varied between 6% and 24%. Factors significantly (p < 0.0018) associated with suicidal ideation using bivariate analysis were: nationality, depressive symptoms, delusions, hallucinations, agitation, anxiety, apathy, disinhibition, irritability, night-time behaviour disturbances, anxiolytics and anti-dementia medication. In the multivariate regression analysis, country of origin, moderate stage of the dementia, depressive and delusional symptoms, and anti-dementia medication were significantly associated with suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). Over time, suicidal ideation decreased from severe to mild or became absent in 54% of the persons with dementia. Conclusion: It is essential that professionals identify older persons with dementia and suicidal ideation and depressive and other psychological symptoms in order to give them appropriate treatment and provide relief for their informal caregivers. We emphasize the importance of identifying suicidal ideation, irrespective of depressive symptoms, and specifically of paying attention to persons with moderate dementia. Living with the informal caregiver seems to be associated with staying stable without suicidal ideation.
Entities:
Keywords:
Dementia; depression; home care; older people; suicidal ideation
Authors: Narges Joshaghani; Nicole Villa; Omar Badla; Raman Goit; Samia E Saddik; Sarah N Dawood; Ahmad M Rabih; Ahmad Mohammed; Aishwarya Raman; Manish Uprety; Maria Jose Calero; Maria Resah B Villanueva; Safeera Khan Journal: Cureus Date: 2022-08-10