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Relationship of Increased Proportion of Suicides by Hanging and Increase in Total Suicide Rates in South Korea  

Ahn, Myung Hee (Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine)
Park, Subin (Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine)
Lee, Taeyeop (Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine)
Lee, Ahrong (Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine)
Kyeon, Yeong Gi (Department of Neuropsychiatry, Chuncheon National Hospital)
Hong, Jin Pyo (Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine)
Publication Information
Anxiety and mood / v.9, no.2, 2013 , pp. 135-139 More about this Journal
Abstract
Objective : This study was conducted to examine the relationship between the annual changes of suicide methods and suicide rates in South Korea. We compared the suicide methods in South Korea with those in six other OECD countries, Japan, Finland, France, United States, Canada and Australia. Methods : Data of suicide rates and methods since the year 2000 were obtained from the official electronic mortality data published by the seven countries and from the World Health Organization [WHO] mortality database. We compared the correlation between suicide methods and suicidal rates in South Korea using Spearman's correlation test. Results : The proportion of hanging steadily increased, whereas self-poisoning steadily decreased from 2000 to 2011. The increased use of hanging was associated with the increase of suicide rates in South Korea. The preference for jumping as a suicide method in South Korea can be notably compared to that of other countries. Conclusion : Preference use of lethal methods, such as hanging, may play a great role in the increase of suicide rates in South Korea. The limitation of physical and cognitive access to lethal methods can be an effective suicide prevention strategy.
Keywords
Suicide; Suicide method; Hanging; Korea;
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