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Suicide Rates, Social Capital, and Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults in Japan: An Ecological Study

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  • Tsuneo Nakamura

    (Department of Advanced Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-0856, Japan)

  • Taishi Tsuji

    (Department of Social Preventive Medical Sciences, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-0856, Japan)

  • Yuiko Nagamine

    (Department of Social Preventive Medical Sciences, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-0856, Japan
    Department of Family Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan)

  • Kazushige Ide

    (Department of Advanced Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-0856, Japan)

  • Seungwon Jeong

    (Department of Community Welfare, Faculty of Health Sciences, Niimi University, Okayama 718-8585, Japan)

  • Yasuhiro Miyaguni

    (Department of Gerontological Evaluation, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi 474-8511, Japan
    Institute for Health Economics and Policy, No.11 Toyo-kaiji Bldg, 1-5-11, Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato Ward, Tokyo 105-0003, Japan)

  • Katsunori Kondo

    (Department of Social Preventive Medical Sciences, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 260-0856, Japan
    Department of Gerontological Evaluation, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi 474-8511, Japan)

Abstract

Depression is considered the primary risk factor for older people’s suicide. When considering suicide measures, it is necessary to clarify the relationship between depressive symptoms, social capital, and suicide rates. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the relationship between community-level social capital, depressive symptoms, and suicide rates among older people in Japan. We analyzed the data gathered from 63,026 men and 72,268 women aged 65 years and older, totaling 135,294 subjects in 81 municipalities with a population of over 100,000 participants in the 2013 Sixth Long-Term Care Needs Survey and another survey conducted by Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) in 2013 including the same question items as the survey in Japan. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the male suicide standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (B = 2.318, p = 0.002), and received emotional support (B = −2.622, p = 0.014) had a negative correlation with the male suicide SMR. In older males particularly, the received emotional support in the community was independently associated with the suicide rate. Therefore, fostering social support in a community could act as a countermeasure to suicide among older males in Japan.

Suggested Citation

  • Tsuneo Nakamura & Taishi Tsuji & Yuiko Nagamine & Kazushige Ide & Seungwon Jeong & Yasuhiro Miyaguni & Katsunori Kondo, 2019. "Suicide Rates, Social Capital, and Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults in Japan: An Ecological Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:24:p:4942-:d:294817
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hiroki Takeuchi & Kazushige Ide & Ryota Watanabe & Yasuhiro Miyaguni & Katsunori Kondo, 2022. "Association between Increasing Social Capital and Decreasing Prevalence of Smoking at the Municipality Level: Repeated Cross-Sectional Study from the JAGES," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-10, April.
    2. Kazushige Ide & Seungwon Jeong & Taishi Tsuji & Ryota Watanabe & Yasuhiro Miyaguni & Hirotaka Nakamura & Miyako Kimura & Katsunori Kondo, 2022. "Suggesting Indicators of Age-Friendly City: Social Participation and Happiness, an Ecological Study from the JAGES," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-12, April.
    3. Kazuya Nogi & Haruhiko Imamura & Keiko Asakura & Yuji Nishiwaki, 2021. "Association of Structural Social Capital and Self-Reported Well-Being among Japanese Community-Dwelling Adults: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.

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