Gender difference in suicidal ideation and related factors among rural elderly: a cross-sectional study in Shandong, China

Abstract Background Suicide is a global public health problem which has significant negative influence on individuals, families and the society. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and related factors among elderly people in rural China, and further examine the gender differences of suicidal ideation. Methods Data were collected from the 2017 Survey of the Shandong Elderly Family Health Service, which was conducted by Shandong University. A total of 5514 elderly aged 60 and above from rural Shandong were included in this study. Binary logistic regression model was performed to examine the gender difference towards suicidal ideation, and to identify the influencing factors of suicidal ideation by gender among elderly. Results 7.7% rural elderly reported suicidal ideation in the past 12 months in Shandong, China. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among females was significantly higher than that among males (P