Influence of social support on suicidal ideation in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Compared with people in any other age group, older adults worldwide have more suicidal ideation; however, their suicidal ideation is easily overlooked. Social support is currently one of the most widely researched social resources for preventing suicide. Currently, the impact of social support on suicidal ideation in this population is still uncertain. This study aimed to explore the impact of social support on suicidal ideation in older adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including the Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases. Two independent researchers selected the studies, extracted the data, and evaluated their quality. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 18.0. RESULTS: This review identified 23 studies, and 14 eligible studies were included in the meta-analyses. High social support was significantly associated with a low risk of suicidal ideation (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.84; I 2 = 93.1%; p < .001). Social support is more effective in reducing the risk of SI in women than in men. Social support from families is most effective at reducing suicidal ideation in older adults, and social support can also influence suicidal ideation through mediating factors. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Social support is significantly correlated with suicidal ideation in older adults. Medical staff or researchers can prioritize social support from families and develop targeted interventions to more effectively reduce the risk of suicidal ideation in older adults.