title: Trauma Exposure and Risk of Suicidal Ideation Among Older Adults.
abstract: To determine if trauma exposure is associated with suicidal ideation in a nationally representative sample of older adults.
  
  
  
  This study included 3,277 participants 55 years and older involved in the Collaborate Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (2001-2003).
  
  
  
  Of the 84.8% of older adults who were exposed to any trauma, 2.2% endorsed late-life suicidal ideation. Multivariable models fully adjusted for sociodemographics, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and substance use revealed exposure to serious accidents/illness was associated with suicidal ideation (odds ratio: 2.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.16-5.59; Wald χ(2) = 5.47, df = 1, p = 0.019). Investigation of specific traumas within the category revealed that life-threatening illness was specifically associated with suicidal ideation in older adults (odds ratio: 2.12; 95% confidence interval: 1.34-3.36; Wald χ(2) = 10.33, df = 1, p = 0.001).
  
  
  
  These findings highlight the need for monitoring of suicidal ideation among older adults who have been informed of a life-threatening illness diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; Alliant International University, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Beristianos
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Shira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maguen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Neylan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA. Electronic address: amy.byers@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Byers
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Suicidal ideation; Trauma