Aging, mental health, and suicide. An integrative review

Abstract

Abstract Objective: this integrative literature review aimed to systematize scientific production regarding the process of aging, mental health, and suicide. Method: the LILACS, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases were used to search for papers published between 2007 and 2017. The final analysis included 34 papers. Result: descriptive North American studies in English were most prevalent. The largest number of papers on the theme was published in 2013. The researchers used questionnaires and interviews as instruments for questions involving aging and suicidal ideation. The papers revealed an association of suicide or suicidal ideation in elderly persons who manifested anxiety, depressive symptoms, depression, physical diseases, low educational and socioeconomic levels, and chronic diseases. Conclusion: this integrative review reinforces the need for investment in public policies and spaces that offer receptiveness, listening, and safety for the aged population, as well as surveys with more robust methodologies to investigate the phenomenon under analysis.

Keywords

• Aging
• Suicide
• Mental Health
• Public Health