title: The prevalence of suicidal ideation among the elderly in China: a meta-analysis of 11 cross-sectional studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation among Chinese elderly aged ≥ 60 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two reviewers independently searched the potentially relevant studies through electronic database (PubMed-Medline, Embase, Wanfang Data, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Chongqing VIP) using key terms 'suicid', 'suicidal ideation' combined with 'aged', 'elderly' and 'old people'. All selected studies should meet the eligibility criteria in this study. Chi-square based Q test and I(2) statistic assessed the heterogeneity. Forest plots were used to display results graphically. Potential publication bias was assessed by the funnel plot and Begg's test. Prevalence rate was meta-analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 11 studies were included with 11,526 subjects. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among Chinese elderly ranged from 2.2% to 21.5%. The pooled prevalence of all 11 studies was 11.5% (95% CI: 8.3%-14.8%). Subgroup analyses showed the prevalence for males was 11.0%, and for the females was 15.6%. In three subgroups for age, 60-69, 70-79 and ≥ 80, the prevalence was 9.1%, 12.1% and 18.9% respectively. A slightly higher prevalence in rural areas was calculated than in urban (14.7% vs. 11.8%). In mainland China, the prevalence was 12.6%. And in Taiwan and Hongkong, the pooled prevalence was 9.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of suicidal ideation was relatively high among elderly in China, and it should attract enough attention.
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, 330029, China.
authors.forename: Yonghai
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, 330029, China.
authors.forename: Guoliang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Cadre Wards of Neurology Medicine, Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital, Nanchang, China.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Huzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Ruizhi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
authors.forename: Qinghe
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, 330029, China. Electronic address: dyhai124@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiangqun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mao
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D059020:Suicidal Ideation