The moderating effects of individual and community social capital on the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicide in the elderly

Abstract

Previous studies indicated that social capital is related to suicide. This study aimed to verify the moderating effects of community and individual social capital on the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicide in the elderly. Data from 67,835 people, aged 65 or older, out of 228,381 who participated in the 2017 Community Health Survey were analyzed. We conducted logistic regression using PROCESS Macro (Model 1) to determine the moderating effects. Depressive symptoms were found to have a direct effect on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Social contact, participation in social activities, and community satisfaction had a moderating effect on the relationship between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation. In particular, community satisfaction showed a significant moderating effect on the relationship between the two variables. The results suggest that community social capital may be more important than individual social capital in preventing suicide attempts in elderly. Interest and investment in social structural changes are needed to prevent suicide in the elderly.