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Mediation effect of childhood health status, life adversities, financial condition, and network satisfaction on suicidal ideation
Author(s)
Date Issued
2023
Citation
Liu, H. L., & Liu, C. P. (2023 May 17-19). Mediation effect of childhood health status, life adversities, financial condition, and network satisfaction on suicidal ideation. British Geriatric Society Communications 2023 Spring Meeting, EICC, Edinburgh.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
Introduction: The study is to explore how childhood health status (X), early life adversities (M1),
financial condition (M2), and satisfaction with social networks (M3) are associated with the
development of suicidal ideation (Y) over time among older adults in 13 European countries.
Respondents were drawn from the Survey of Health, Ageing, Retirement, in Europe (SHARE)
conducted in 2013 (Wave 5), 2015 (Wave 6), 2016 (Wave 7), and 2020 (Wave 8). 56.8% (n=10043) of
respondents were female, and 43.2% (n=7642) were male. The mean age at Wave 8 was 72.35
(range 60-103).
Method: The conditional process analysis using the PROCESS macro (model 6), which can perform
the same functions as structural equation modelling, was applied (Hayes, Montoya & Rockwood,
2017).
Results: A poor childhood health status (X) (coeff=.1222, p<.001) was found to have a direct impact
on suicidal ideation (Wave 8), but its effect was decreased after considering the mediation effect of
the three mediators (coeff of M1=.1511, p<.001, coeff of M2=.1931, p<.001, and coeff of M3=-.1640,
p<.001) (Coeff of X to Y via M1, M2 and M3=.0428, p=.1913, Full competitive mediation).
Conclusion: Findings show that poor childhood health status contributed significantly to developing
suicidal ideation over time. The cumulative risk of early life adversities and a worse financial
situation than expected earlier in life positively mediated the impact of adverse childhood health
status on developing suicidal ideation. However, a satisfied social network can eliminate the
cumulated risk of adverse childhood health status, early life adversities, and a worse financial
situation in the development of suicidal ideation. A higher level of satisfaction with social networks,
especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a protective risk for suicidal ideation
among older adults.
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