Mediation effect of childhood health status, life adversities, financial condition, and network satisfaction on sucide ideation

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.