Stigmatization and Suicidal Behavior Among the Elderly Population in Serbia

Gojković, Teodora (2023) Stigmatization and Suicidal Behavior Among the Elderly Population in Serbia. In: Elderly People and Discrimination: Prevention and Reaction. Institute of Criminological and Sociological Research ; Vojvodina Bar Association, Belgrade ; Novi Sad, pp. 705-722. ISBN 978-86-80756-57-8

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Abstract

Stigma is a negative process of labeling, discrimination and social disqualification, a disgrace which especially affects old people and worsens their psychological state. The upcoming negative trend towards the elderly around the world is so present that we could expect that ageism will become the most prevalent form of discrimination in 21st century. Serbian society has been affected by the process of demographic aging for decades. The impact of aging on mental health is closely related to the social life factors of the elderly, which directly affects their quality of life - the more or less simultaneous biopsychosocial losses, experienced by the elderly, significantly influence the increase in self-isolation or distance from the family, which is less and less ready to take care of old and sick members, which can cause suicidal ideas and suicidal behavior of the elderly. (Self-)isolation of the elderly can also be more broadly socially conditioned, where the quality of institutional and non-institutional care for the elderly plays a dominant role. This increases the pressure on societies, especially affected by “ageistic” challenges, to adequately respond to them - contemporary approach to aging foresees significant forms of sustenance for active, dignified aging through institutional and non-institutional forms of support, which is why it is important to improve them in the direction of destigmatizing members of the elderly population. In this paper, conclusions will be presented based on the analysis of secondary sources on the mentioned issue.

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