The Desire and Capability for Suicide among Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study uses a mixed method design to investigate:

• whether thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, acquired capability for suicide, and suicidal thoughts and behaviours increase during the pandemic; and whether increases vary according to sociodemographic characteristics associated with suicide (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, living alone);
• whether hope acts as a protective factor by weakening the relationships between the risk factors of desire and capability for suicide and suicidal thoughts and behaviours; the unique values of older adults to better tailor suicide prevention efforts;

Findings will contribute to our limited understanding of suicide prevention among older adults, including what works for whom and under what circumstances.