Suicide Prevention Programs for Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review

Authors

  • Tiago Ambrósio Carrasqueira Universidade Lusófona - Centro Universitário Lisboa https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3377-7007
  • Pedro Machado dos Santos
  • Mónica Teixeira

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15257/

Abstract

 

Abstract

Suicide among older adults is a major public health concern, associated with clinical, psychological, and social factors that tend to intensify with advancing age. This study aimed to identify and analyse suicide prevention programmes targeting individuals aged 60 years and older and to evaluate their effectiveness. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, using searches in Web of Science, Scopus, B-On, SciELO, JSTOR, and RCAAP/ReCIL, covering studies published between 2013 and 2025. Of the 612 articles initially identified, 11 met the inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that psychotherapeutic interventions, resilience-promoting programmes, gatekeeper training, digital interventions, and strategies focused on strengthening social connections may contribute to reducing suicidal ideation and other suicide risk factors. Improvements were also observed in depressive symptoms, hopelessness, social isolation, and quality of life. However, the evidence revealed considerable methodological heterogeneity and a limited number of longitudinal studies. The most promising programmes were those adopting a multidimensional approach that integrates psychological, social, institutional, and community components. Further research is needed to develop and evaluate interventions tailored to the specific needs of older adults.

 

Keywords: suicide prevention; older adults; suicidal ideation; intervention programmes; systematic review.

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Author Biographies

  • Pedro Machado dos Santos

    Pedro Manuel Carvalho Machado dos Santos is an Assistant Professor at Universidade Lusófona,

    Portugal, where he serves as Director of the Master's Programme in Social Gerontology: Quality of

    Gerontological Programmes and Services. He also contributes to the Erasmus Mundus Joint

    Master's Programme HYGIEIA – Health and Wellbeing Across the Lifespan.

    He holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from ICBAS – School of Medicine and Biomedical

    Sciences, University of Porto (Portugal), a Master's Degree in Social Gerontology from the

    Autonomous University of Madrid (Spain), and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the

    University of Lisbon (Portugal). He is a Clinical and Health Psychologist and Psychodynamic

    Psychotherapist, accredited by the Portuguese Psychologists Association as a Specialist in Clinical

    and Health Psychology and an Advanced Specialist in Neuropsychology, Psychogerontology and

    Community Psychology. He has also served as an accredited trainer for the Portuguese

    Psychologists Association since 2017.

    He is a researcher at RISE-Health - Research Network in Health (ICBAS, University of Porto). He

    has collaborated with national and international institutions, including the World Health

    Organization, on projects related to mental health, healthy ageing and health systems strengthening.

    His research focuses on healthy ageing, mental health, psychodynamic psychotherapy,

    implementation science, and the development and evaluation of health and social care programmes

    and services. He works closely with multidisciplinary teams of researchers, clinicians and policy-

    makers to develop, implement and evaluate evidence-informed initiatives that strengthen health

    systems and improve population wellbeing across the life course.

  • Mónica Teixeira

    Mónica Alexandra Vidal Teixeira is an Assistant Professor at Universidade Lusófona –

    Porto University Centre, where she teaches in the Bachelor's Degree in Social Work and

    in the Master's Programme in Social Gerontology: Quality of Gerontological Programmes

    and Services. She is currently pursuing an Interuniversity PhD in Social Work at the

    Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra and the

    Portuguese Catholic University.

    She holds a PhD in Gerontology from the University of Aveiro and the Abel Salazar

    Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto (2016), a Master's Degree in

    Gerontology from the University of Aveiro (2008), a Specialist Title in Social Work and

    Guidance awarded by the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (2017), and a Bachelor's Degree

    in Social Work from the Miguel Torga Higher Institute (1998).

    Alongside her academic career, she has extensive professional experience in the social

    sector, having held positions in technical management, coordination and social

    intervention in services for older adults, particularly Day Care Centres and Home Care

    Services.

    Her main research interests focus on ageing and longevity, older adults' quality of life,

    long-term care, interventions in residential care settings, person-centred care, decision-

    making in social and health services, ethics and citizenship, gerontological social work,

    loneliness and social participation, collaborative housing, and community-based

    responses to population ageing.

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Published

2026-10-25

Issue

2027: Avance nº 28

Section

Artículos

How to Cite

Suicide Prevention Programs for Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review. (2026). EHQUIDAD. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WELFARE AND SOCIAL WORK POLICIES, 28. https://doi.org/10.15257/