TY - JOUR PY - 2021// TI - Negative life events and self-harm among the elderly: result from a survey of 7070 people aged≄60 in China JO - Psychiatry research A1 - Hong, Zhuang A1 - Zhang, Hongjing A1 - Xu, Lingzhong A1 - Zhou, Jinling A1 - Kong, Fanlei A1 - Li, Jiajia A1 - Hu, Fangfang A1 - Gao, Zhaorong SP - e113727 EP - e113727 VL - 298 IS - N2 - PURPOSES: Negative life events have been reported as a risk factor for elderly self-harm. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between negative life events and self-harm in a large sample of people aged 60 and older, and explore the role of some previously identified influential factors in this relationship.

METHODS: Multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to select the elderly people over 60 years old in Shandong, China. Information were collected through face-to-face interviews. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used for initial analysis. Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method was used for mediating effect analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 7070 participants were included in the study, 160 reported they had a history of self-harm (2.3%), 756 reported they had negative life event experience (10.7%). After model adjustment, the association between negative life events, loneliness, economic status and self-harm was still statistically significant. Mediation analysis showed that the association is explained by loneliness (proportion of mediation 48.86%), self-rated economic status (16.13%).

CONCLUSIONS: Negative life events, loneliness and economic status were associated with self-harm among the older adults. Loneliness and economic status may play an intermediary role in the relationship between negative life events and self-harm, especially loneliness. More psychological and social functions intervention strategies and prevention measures on the self-harm of the elderly should be provided for the elderly who have experienced negative life events.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0165-1781 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.113727 ID - ref1 ER -