title: Differential experiences during the holocaust and suicidal ideation in older adults in treatment for depression.
abstract: Data were used on 275 Jewish individuals aged 50 and older in outpatient treatment for depression in this retrospective cross-sectional study. Holocaust survivors who were in work camps, in ghettos, or in hiding (HS-WGH) and holocaust survivors who were in concentration camps (HS-CC) were more likely to suffer posttraumatic stress disorder compared to other survivors (HS-OT) and controls. The HS-WGH and HS-CC groups had at least a threefold greater odds of suicidal ideation compared to controls. Suicidal ideation rates did not differ significantly between HS-OT group and controls. Among survivors, HS-WGH had a threefold greater odds of suicidal ideation compared to HS-OT. The results are applicable to survivors of similar atrocities and show that differing types and severities of traumatic experiences have important implications for treatment planning.
authors.affiliation: University of Toronto and Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, Ontario, Canada. dclarke@baycrest.org
authors.forename: Diana E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colantonio
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Conn
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heslegrave
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Links
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Reekum
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003209:Concentration Camps; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017767:Holocaust / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007585:Jews / Q000523:psychology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology; D047789:World War II