Elderly Mental Health: Examining the Link between Physical Health, Suicidal Ideation, and Adjustment problems

Abstract

The present study investigates the interrelationship between physical health, suicidal ideation, and adjustment among elderly individuals in Pakistan. With a cross-sectional research design, a sample of 380 older adults aged 60 to 80 years from Daska and Gujrat districts was recruited using purposive sampling. Standardized instruments were used the Suicidal Ideation Scale (Reynolds, 1988) was used in this research to measure suicidal thoughts; the Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ; Schat, 1996), to measure physical health; and the Adjustment Problems Scale (Naz, Bano, & Leghari, 2022) ro measure adjustment difficulties. The correlation analysis revealed that physical health was significantly associated with both poorer adjustment (r = .37, p < .01) and higher suicidal ideation (r = .21, p < .01), while psychological adjustment was also positively correlated with suicidal ideation (r = .17, p < .01), indicating a strong interplay between physical and mental health in older adults. Physical health significantly predicted adjustment (β = .372, p < .001, R² = .136) and suicidal ideation (β = .211, p < .001, R² = .042). The findings underscore the profound impact of physical health on mental well-being in late adulthood, highlighting the need for integrated physical and psychological healthcare services for the aging population. This study contributes to the limited literature from low-income settings and suggests practical interventions and policies to enhance the quality of life among older adults in Pakistan.