Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

3.6% of participants answered 'yes' when asked if, in the last month, they felt that they would rather be dead. Alamy Stock Photo

Trinity College study finds loneliness among older adults is associated with a ‘wish to die’

The study also found that attending religious services is an ‘important protective barrier’.

NEW RESEARCH from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing at Trinity College Dublin has shown that loneliness in older adults is associated with an increased risk of individuals wishing for their own death.

However, the study also showed that attending religious services is an ‘important protective barrier’ against this.

The study was published today in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Public Health and it explores the issue of social disconnection and its link to a ‘wish to die’ among older adults.

The ‘Wish to Die’ involves thoughts of or wishes for one’s own death, or that one would be better off dead.

It is a commonly used indicator to capture death ideation and has been shown to be as predictive of future suicide attempts as active suicide ideation.

The study is based on a nationally representative survey among around 8,000 adults aged over 50 in the Republic of Ireland – the mean age of participants was 62.8.

Some 10% of respondents exhibited clinically significant levels of depression.

Participants were also asked: “In the last month, have you felt that you would rather be dead?”

Some 3.6% of respondents answered “yes”.

A significantly higher percentage of participants who completed only primary level education reported a ‘wish to die’ (WTD).

Meanwhile, older adults who reported a WTD also reported higher levels of loneliness and social isolation.

The report’s authors said this demonstrates that the subjective feeling of loneliness is more strongly associated with death ideation than other measures of social disconnection, including social isolation or living alone.

The authors further explained: “Our findings suggest that loneliness – the subjective assessment of the quality of an individuals’ social relationships, as opposed to a count of their social contacts (social isolation) – is the more important of the two.” 

Older adults with a WTD were also significantly more likely to live alone and be unmarried, and also reported less social participation – they never volunteered and did not regularly attend religious services.

This latter group, which included older adults with or without a religion who never attended church services, reported the highest prevalence of a WTD at 8.7%.

This is 2.4 times the overall proportion of 3.6%.

Overall, 88.6% of participants were Catholic, with Anglicanism the next largest group at 3.4%.

The report’s authors said it is “not clear whether it is the spiritual or the social aspect of attending church” that provides the protective barrier.

However, they added that the finding of the “strong protective role of religious attendance also suggests a potential coping strategy that may be amenable to older adults” and that secular social activities could confer the same benefit.

“If it is the sociality rather than the spirituality of attending church regularly that is more important, then social activities not only those associated with religious practice may be a more attractive proposition, particularly if the current trend of increasing secularity continues.”

The authors added: “While attendance at religious attendance is provided here as an example of a beneficial prosocial activity, there are of course numerous examples of secular prosocial activities.”

However, the authors also noted that a decrease in religious attendance after the Covid pandemic could result in a “greater number of older adults experiencing a WTD”.

The authors remarked that the pandemic “saw religious attendance severely curtailed for long periods”.

“While we do not have information on WTD among this cohort post-pandemic, it is fair to suspect that the combination of an increase in risk via depression and social disconnection coupled with a decrease in the protective role of religious attendance, may have resulted in a greater number of older adults experiencing a WTD”.

The authors also acknowledged that the prevalence of a WTD among this cohort is possibly an “under-estimation of the true population value” given that “participants experience of a WTD was only asked for the last month and individuals who have had WTD outside this timeframe are therefore excluded”.

It was also noted that the findings “provide important information on a cohort of older adults who have expressed a WTD” in the context of the Dying with Dignity Bill that would legalise assisted dying for those with terminal illnesses.

The authors added that given the strength of the association between loneliness and WTD, existing interventions to address loneliness may have the additional benefit of protecting against death ideation.

Dr Mark Ward, lead author of the paper, said the study adds to a “growing body of evidence” that “clearly shows that loneliness in later life is associated with an increased risk of individuals wishing for their own death”

He added: “Uniquely, we also show that attending religious services regularly can protect against death ideation among older adults in Ireland.”

He also remarked that the findings highlight the importance of promoting social activities and networks to safeguard against loneliness and related psychological distress.

Meanwhile, Dr Robert Briggs, Consultant Geriatrician at St James’s Hospital and co-author of the study, said the study highlights the importance of “maintaining social connectedness in later life”.

Briggs added that an “enhanced focus on improving access to mental health care and addressing social isolation in older people should therefore be a priority for policymakers”.

Elsewhere, Regius Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Consultant Geriatrician and Principal Investigator of TILDA, remarked that “loneliness accelerates biological ageing and disease” and that “addressing this problem is urgent”.

Need help? Support is available.

  • Samaritans – 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie
  • Pieta House – 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
  • Aware – 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Teen-Line Ireland – 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 18)
  • Childline – 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
  • SpunOut – text SPUNOUT to 50808 or visit spunout.ie

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
37 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Savage
    Favourite Jimmy Savage
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 5:45 PM

    It should be a crime to deep fake someone without their consent.

    175
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 5:56 PM

    @Jimmy Savage: Agreed, but when it happens to Martin, who in fairness went to the high court, he was derided.

    And Google, etc, aren’t doing anything to prevent this, I’ve seen Anne Doyle, The girl from TV3 ,I’ve reported each one, the last one was ” Google couldn’t find the ad that I reported ” eventhough it still appears .

    100
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Hayes
    Favourite Jack Hayes
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:06 PM

    @Jimmy Savage: It is though. The Online Safety Act now makes it a criminal offence to share, or threaten to share, a manufactured or ‘deepfake’ intimate image or video of another person without his or her consent.

    45
    See 8 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:10 PM

    @Jimmy Savage: Sure, but over and over we see those social media companies not care a single whit once they make their profits. Any fines are are a rounding error.
    I’m fine with labelled satire or parody or some stuff that is actually fun (things like Sassy Justice or ‘if My name is.. was written in 2021′.
    There’s so much more that is just not okay at all that propagates on those platforms… faked political or Hollywood starlets…
    Then you have the circular activity of bots responding to each other driving up engagement on those platforms, which is profit that they seem value more that any form of ethics.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:14 PM

    @Jack Hayes: Explain why it continues then?

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:20 PM

    @ben wu: Absolutely and they don’t care . They have enabled suicide, self harm , allowed lies to seem acceptable they really are what the world needs to be angry at…..

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:30 PM

    @Paul O’Mahoney: There was more press coverage over here about something odd looking about a photo of Kate Middleton’s wrist in a family photo, than there has been about those issues…

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:46 PM

    @ben wu: Was there?

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute DerekF
    Favourite DerekF
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:54 PM

    @Jack Hayes: no actually, it is a crime to share or threaten to share an intimate image shared with you. Nothing about manufactured or deepfake

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
    Favourite Diarmuid Hunt
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 7:55 PM

    @DerekF: Even if it was as he said then there would be nothing against sharing a non-intimate deepfake where the purpose is to deceive others.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Hayes
    Favourite Jack Hayes
    Report
    Aug 28th 2024, 11:32 AM

    @Paul O’Mahoney: Explain to you why people still do illegal things or how people get away with doing illegal things? You must be new to this world.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
    Favourite Steve O'Hara-Smith
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 8:04 PM

    It was a paid advert so Facebook must know who paid for it. That person should be prosecuted!
    Why is this not happening?

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 9:22 PM

    @Steve O’Hara-Smith: Most are ex our Jurisdiction, and are probably not real entities

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rory Murphy
    Favourite Rory Murphy
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:32 PM

    There is some awful muck on Facebook…. Full Stop.

    77
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ollie McGlinchey
    Favourite Ollie McGlinchey
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:57 PM

    @james rowan: Still not as bad as all the nazi propaganda on X.

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute smatrix mantra
    Favourite smatrix mantra
    Report
    Aug 28th 2024, 7:16 AM

    @james rowan: Hence FaceMuck

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Andy Moylan
    Favourite Andy Moylan
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:17 PM

    Very believable, apart from the American twang abd the way she pronounces Turbidy …

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan
    Favourite Alan
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 9:05 PM

    Thought it was a genuine SF broadcast. Fits well with their actual,financial policy.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 9:28 PM

    @Alan: Yeah me too

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute smatrix mantra
    Favourite smatrix mantra
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:15 PM

    Soon the default belief will be if it’s on the Internet it’s fake, hallucination, or just plain lies and propaganda.
    Aka “I gave them all the tools but they could not use them.”

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
    Favourite Paul O'Mahoney
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:28 PM

    @smatrix mantra: I disagree with that , the Internet was launched for good intentions, and a reasonable return by investing is fine, but the way a minority has essentially monopolised its content is the problem.

    All those software engineers, etc, could have equally written code that was of use to the world’s problems, but that didn’t happen .

    I’m using it now to share thoughts, most don’t

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Diarmuid Hunt
    Favourite Diarmuid Hunt
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 7:58 PM

    @Paul O’Mahoney: Every leap in technology can be used as a tool or a weapon, unfortunately most of the time it’s both but weapons seem to have more impact globally.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Be Lucky
    Favourite Be Lucky
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:48 PM

    Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. Albert Einstein.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
    Favourite Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 7:30 PM

    That’s plain fake , not exactly deep fake

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute brian nunan
    Favourite brian nunan
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 10:28 PM

    So sort it you legislators. It might cost a few thousand jobs. But what is the price of political stability?

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Money
    Favourite Sean Money
    Report
    Aug 27th 2024, 6:14 PM

    Dennis O’Brien will take these charlatans to China Town. They are going down now.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dominic Leleu
    Favourite Dominic Leleu
    Report
    Aug 28th 2024, 7:41 AM

    Delete your Facebook account and other social media crap.
    You will live happier

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute vxQ6cYzh
    Favourite vxQ6cYzh
    Report
    Aug 28th 2024, 3:22 AM

    COMMENT SELF-ERASED BY AUTHOR ✍️

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
      News in 60 seconds