title: Suicidal ideation in family carers of people with dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Two small studies have suggested that family carers of people with dementia may be a high-risk group for suicide. The objective of this study was to further explore the rate of suicidal ideation in a large sample of carers and identify psychosocial risk and protective factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 566 family carers. The survey included measures of suicidality, self-efficacy, physical health, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, optimism, burden, coping strategies, and social support.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen percent of carers had contemplated suicide more than once in the previous year. There were univariate differences between suicidal and non-suicidal carers on self-efficacy, social support, coping, burden, depression, anxiety, hopelessness, optimism, reasons for living, and symptoms of dementia, as well as age and income management. In a multivariate model, age, depression, and reasons for living predicted suicidal ideation. In tests for mediation, satisfaction with social support and dysfunctional coping had indirect effects on suicidal ideation via depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family carers of people with dementia have high rates of suicidal ideation, with depression a risk factor and increasing age and reasons for living as protective factors. Depression and reasons for living should be targeted in interventions to reduce suicide risk in dementia carers.
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Health Practice Innovation, Menzies Health Institute Queensland , Griffith University , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Siobhan T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: O'Dwyer
authors.affiliation: a Centre for Health Practice Innovation, Menzies Health Institute Queensland , Griffith University , Brisbane , Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Moyle
authors.affiliation: b School of Applied Psychology , Griffith University , Gold Coast , Australia.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmer-Gembeck
authors.affiliation: c Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention , Griffith University, Mt. Gravatt , Australia.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Leo
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012944:Social Support; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: caregivers; dementia; mental health; suicide