Association between cognitive functioning and lifetime suicidal ideation among Chinese older adults: the mediating effect of depression

Key summary points Aim Considering the lack of consensus on the relationship between cognitive impairment in older adults and suicide, our objective is to examine whether depression influences the association between cognitive functioning and lifetime suicidal ideation among older adults. Findings We found no significant association between cognitive impairment and lifetime suicidal ideation among older adults, but rather a complete mediation through depression. Message There is no inherent association between cognitive impairment in older adults and suicidal ideation. However, caution should be exercised to prevent the progression into depression among elderly individuals with cognitive impairment, as depression positively predicts lifetime suicidal ideation. Purpose Existing evidence indicates an association between cognitive functioning and both geriatric depression and suicidality, with mixed evidence regarding the direction of the relationship between cognitive functioning and aspects of geriatric lifetime suicidal ideation. This study aims to examine the relationship between cognitive functioning, depression, and suicide ideation and to explore the intermediary role of depression between cognitive functioning and suicidal ideation in the older adults. Methods A multi-stage random cluster sampling method was used to collect a sample of 3896 individuals aged 60 and above. Descriptive statistics of the sample data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and then the correlation between variables was obtained by binary logistic regression analysis. SPSS macro program PROCESS V3.5 was used to test the mediating role of depression in the relationship between cognitive function and lifetime suicidal ideation. Results The prevalence of lifetime suicidal ideation among older adults was 3.9%. Lifetime suicidal ideation was associated with depression (OR = 1.308, P 0.05). The relationship between cognitive function and depression was also supported in this study ( β = − 0.0841, P