Global prevalence of suicide attempts in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Aging is a natural process encompassing both biological and psychological changes. Suicide is one of the most complex human behaviors, where one intentionally terminates their own life. Significant discrepancies in reported prevalence rates further highlight the need for a comprehensive study. Objective The present study aimed to estimate the global prevalence of suicide attempts in older adults using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Information sources The databases Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (WoS) were searched until February 2026. Methods The quality of the articles was assessed by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist. The I 2 index was used to examine the heterogeneity of the studies, and a comprehensive meta-analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results An initial search yielded 10,806 studies, of which 21 articles, with a combined sample size of 99,197 individuals, met the inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The global prevalence of suicide attempts in older adults was estimated at 5.6% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 4.0%-7.9%). The highest prevalence was observed in Europe at 17.1% (95% CI: 3.8%-51.9%). Meta-regression results indicated that the prevalence of suicide attempts in older adults increased with larger sample sizes, study years, higher ages, and higher study quality ( P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of this study show that the prevalence of suicide attempts among the elderly varies from 5.6 to 17.1. Therefore, it is recommended that health officials and policymakers place greater emphasis on the prevention and control of suicide in the older adults.