- 2026-05
- Archives of gerontology and geriatrics 144
- Xiaoyu Bai
- Senlin Wu
- Mengjie Zhang
- Hong Chen
- Yuelin Wang
- Le Li
- Jing Wang
- Yunlan Jiang
Study Design
- Type
- Meta-Analysis
- Population
- 72 studies comprising 625,891 older adults aged 60 and over
- Methods
- Systematically searched nine databases from inception to November 3, 2025, for observational studies; two reviewers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment; data pooled using a random-effects model
Background
The global population is aging rapidly, and suicide among older adults aged 60 and over is a critical public health issue. Suicidal ideation (SI) is the strongest precursor to suicidal behavior. However, a comprehensive global synthesis of the prevalence and distribution of SI among older adults worldwide has been lacking.Objective
This study aimed to systematically review the global prevalence of SI in older adults and explore its distribution across demographic, geographical, and methodological dimensions through subgroup analyses.Methods
We systematically searched nine databases from inception to November 3, 2025, for observational studies. Two reviewers independently conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. Data were pooled using a random-effects model in Stata15.0 to calculate prevalence and perform subgroup analyses. The review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD420251233412).Findings
Seventy-two studies comprising 625,891 older adults were included and the pooled prevalence was 12.8% (95%CI: 11.4% -14.1%). However, extreme heterogeneity was observed (I2=99.9%), and significant publication bias was present. The trim-and-fill adjusted prevalence was 5.7%. Subgroup analyses revealed significantly higher prevalence among the oldest old (≥80 years, 13.7%), women (17.8%), residents of Asia (13.8%), and developing countries (14.7%), and assessment of "current" SI reported significantly higher rates than other timeframes.Conclusion
Although the precise pooled prevalence is uncertain due to substantial heterogeneity and publication bias, this study confirms that SI is prevalent concern among older adults globally, with risk disproportionately concentrated among the oldest old, women, and those in developing countries. The findings call for targeted public health strategies and underscore the imperative to use standardized assessment tools and address critical evidence gaps in future research.