The social risk factors for suicidal behaviour among older adults: the degree of social isolation, the feeling of loneliness and the presence of a death wish caused by interpersonal relationships

V Sloveniji je podobno kot drugod po svetu višji količnik samomora opaziti v poznejšem življenju. Po številu samomorov med osebami starejšimi nad 65. let se Slovenija uvršča v sam evropski in tudi svetovni vrh. Pri pregledu predhodnik študij s področja samomorilnega vedenja zasledimo, da je področje socialnih dejavnikov tveganja za samomorilno vedenje med starejšimi odraslimi relativno slabše raziskano. V pričujoči študiji smo na vzorcu 104 starejših odraslih preučili odnos med socialnimi dejavniki, natančneje med stopnjo socialne izolacije, občutkom osamljenosti, prisotnostjo občutka, da je starostnik drugim v breme, in občutkom odtujenosti v medosebnih odnosih ter tveganjem za samomorilno vedenje. Za namen študije smo uporabili testno baterijo, ki je sestavljena iz vprašanj o demografskih podatkih in socialni izolaciji osebe. Stopnjo tveganje za samomorilno vedenje smo merili s Paykelovo lestvico samomorilnega vedenja (PSS), občutek, da je oseba drugim v breme, in občutek odtujenosti v medosebnih odnosih pa z Vprašalnikom medosebnih potreb (INQ-15). Občutek osamljenosti je bil ocenjen s krajšo različico Lestvice osamljenosti (UCLA). Povzamemo lahko, da je z vidika duševnega zdravja bistvenega pomena osmišljanje starosti in ohranjanje prijateljskih, socialnih vezi, ki, kot je razvidno tudi iz predhodnih raziskav, predstavljajo pomemben preventivni dejavnik samomorilnega vedenja in dobrega duševnega zdravja.Similarly, as in other countries around the world, we can identify a higher suicide rate throughout stages in later life in Slovenia too. Going by the number of suicides among people older than 65, Slovenia ranks close to the European and global top. After reviewing previous studies in the field of suicidal behaviour we see that the area connected to social risk factors for suicidal behaviour among older adults is relatively less well studied. In the present study we examined the relationship between social factors, more specifically between the degree of social isolation, the feeling of loneliness, the presence of a feeling that an older person is a burden to others, the feeling of thwarted belongingness in interpersonal relations and the risks for suicidal behaviour on a sample of 104 older adults. For the purpose of this study, a test battery consisting of questions about the demographic data and the social isolation of a person was used. We measured the degree of suicidal risk with the help of Paykel´s suicidal scale (PSS), the feeling of perceived burdensomeness and the thwarted belongingness, on the other hand, were measured with the help of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ-15). The feeling of loneliness was rated with the help of a shorter form of the Loneliness Scale (UCLA). It can be summarized that from the standpoint of mental health the comprehending of one´s age and the preservation of friendly, social ties is essential, which is also evident from previous studies because they represent an important preventive factor of suicidal behaviour, an indicator of good mental health