Epidemiological Features of Suicidal Ideation among the Elderly in China based Meta-analysis

Background The prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation (SI) among the elderly in China varied widely between studies. This meta-analysis firstly aimed to show the epidemiological features of SI among the elderly in China. Methods Relevant databases, including English and Chinese, were systematically searched from database inceptions until September 15, 2022. Data included literature were used to calculate the prevalence and odds ratios (OR) of associated factors regarding SI among Chinese elderly. Results 31 cross-sectional studies including 79,861 subjects, covering over 20 provinces and cities in China, were included for final analysis from 7591 potential studies. The pooled prevalence of SI among the elderly in China was 11.47% (95% CI 7.82–15.71%). Prevalence significantly varied based on residence, physical (chronic disease, activities of daily living disability, health status), mental (depression symptoms and life satisfaction), economic condition, and measuring tools with time points. It should be noted that the pooled prevalence in 2011–2020 (15.59%, 95% CI 9.08–23.44%) is nearly twice as high as that in 2001–2010 (7.85%, 95% CI 5.08–11.16%). Besides, 14 factors with a pooled OR>1 ( p <0.05) and 2 factors with a pooled OR<1 ( p< 0.05) affecting SI significantly in Chinese elderly were found. Conclusion The prevalence of SI among Chinese elderly may be relatively high, presenting diverse distributional characteristics and associated factors. Therefore, more targeted programs are imperative to manage elderly-related suicide. Standard measuring tools with narrow time points for SI is equally necessary.