The trajectory of non-depressed suicidal ideation in community-dwelling older people in a rural area in Japan: a prospective longitudinal study with a 3-year follow-up.

The results revealed that suicidal ideation, being female, and poor HRQOL were predictive factors of the development of late-life depression 3 years post-baseline in a rural area of Japan. These findings provide novel information regarding the transition to depression among community-dwelling older people who are not depressed but have suicidal ideation. Whereas suicidal ideation is considered to be a symptom of depression, the current results suggest that suicidal ideation may precede depression in some older people.