• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 2021

Objectives: The study aimed to analyze the effects of household financial difficulties caused by COVID-19 (2019 coronavirus disease) on suicidal tendencies of adolescents. Methods: We selected 54,948 middle and high school students who were surveyed based on the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey 2020. To analyze the data, we used the STATA 16.0 program to conduct propensity score matching (PSM). Results: After controlling for selection effects by using PSM, the household financial difficulties caused by COVID-19 maintained a significant predictive effect on increasing suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and decreasing tendency in hospital-treated after suicide attempts. However, depressive symptoms and suicide plan did not show a significant correlation with household financial difficulties associated with COVID-19. Conclusions: It was found that the rate of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents who experienced a household financial difficulties due to COVID-19. Therefore, It can provide empirical evidence for estimating the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent suicide rates.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2039-2043
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• 2012

Objectives: Depression is common in cancer patients. However, only limited evidence is available for Asian populations. The authors therefore examine the prevalence of depression in Thai patients with cancer. In addition, associated factors were determined. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in cancer patients admitted to a university hospital during December 2006 - December 2007. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess all cancer patients. Suicidal risk was assessed by using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) in the module of suicidal risk assessment. Results: Of 108 cancer patients, 29.6 % were diagnosed with a depressive disorder (mild, 14.8 %; moderate, 5.6 %; severe, 9.3 %). However, only 25.0 % of these were recognized as being depressed by the primary physician. According to the MINI., 28.1 % of these depressed cancer patients had a moderate to severe level of suicidal risk. In addition, the findings suggest that increased risk of depression is significantly associated with increased pain score, lower number of cancer treatments (< 2 methods), increased educational duration (>13 years), increased age (> 50 years old) and being female. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression is high in Thai cancer patients. However, depressive disorder in those patients is frequently undiagnosed. It is associated with several factors including pain, a number of cancer treatments, education duration, age and sex. To improve quality of life, increase compliance with treatments and prevent of suicide, screening for depressive disorders in this patient group is strongly recommended.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 2020

Objectives: Our study aimed to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents during their first visit to psychiatric outpatient departments for the management of suicidal ideation and behavior, and to compare the changes before and in 2012 or later. Methods: This multicenter study was conducted at five university hospitals in a metropolitan area in South Korea. Medical records of patients aged 6-18 years were retrospectively reviewed from January 2009 to December 2016. Patients were analyzed by classifying them into suicidal and non-suicidal groups based on their visit to the hospital for management of suicidal ideation or suicide attempt and other mental problems, respectively. Results: There were differences in the year of visit, diagnosis, education level, and referral sources between patients in the suicidal and non-suicidal groups. Multiple regression analysis was conducted based on the sex, education level, referral by school, and diagnosis of depression in patients in the suicidal group, which revealed significant association. Conclusion: Suicide-related problems were significantly associated with the sex, education level, referral by school, and a diagnosis of depression in the patients. A well-connected referral system would be necessary for professional mental health management of high-risk children and adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.151-175
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• 2012

This paper designed a mediating pathways model on how parental abuse and peer victimization lead to the development of suicidal ideation through the mediating variables of interpersonal needs and a hopelessness. The development is sure to help reduce adolescent suicidal ideation and, in turn, seek for distinct mediating methods to help teens with suicidal ideas. To validate the suggested model, this paper administered a questionnaire to 768 students in their 10th, 11th and 12th grades of high schools in Incheon, and then analyzed the structural equation model before confirming the research hypothesis by adopting the tools of SPSS 17.0 and AMOS 18.0. The result clearly demonstrates that parental abuse is one of the most influential factors in developing suicidal ideation. Peer victimization, however, had no direct bearing on suicide ideation, only indirectly affecting through the mediating variable of interpersonal needs. In addition, peer victimization had indirect effects on suicidal ideation through a sequential intervention of variables from interpersonal needs to a hopelessness. Based on the above results, this research has following implications: First, this paper analyzed the mediating pathways of youth suicidal ideation resulting from parental abuse and peer victimization. The result could possibly help find preventive measures and effective mediating approaches to save the lives of young people at risk of committing suicide. Secondly, this study proved that the interpersonal needs, a relatively new concept hardly introduced in previous studies, is a significant predictive factor for suicide ideation, serving as an intervening variable of developing suicidal ideation among young people who have suffered parental abuse and peer victimization.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine personality traits associated with suicidal symptoms (with history of suicide attempt or suicidal idea) in depressed patients. Methods : A sample 186 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder was divided into two groups : suicidal group (with history of suicide attempt or suicidal idea, n=70) and non-suicidal group (without history of suicide attempt or suicidal idea, n=116). NEO Personality Assessment System were used to evaluate personality trait. Results : Neuroticism was high in suicidal group (p=0.041). In multivariate logistic regression, Neuroticism was also a significant influence on suicidal symptoms (Odds Ratio=1.04, 95% Confidence Interval 1.01-1.07, p=0.0145). Conclusions : High Neuroticism is a useful information to identify individuals at high risk of suicide in depressive patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.136-145
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the degree of suicidal ideation, social support and self-esteem on depression in middle school students. Methods: The study, based on a correlation study design, selected participants from five middle schools by convenience sampling. Data were collected from April 19 to June 13, 2015 from the 427 participants included in the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS / Win 20.0. Results: There was a significant correlation between depression, self esteem, social support, and suicidal ideation. Depression was negatively correlated with self-esteem(r=-.47, p<.001) and social support(r=-.45, p<.001), while being positively correlated with suicidal ideation(r=.64, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings indicate that depression in middle school students can increase the risk of suicide. Self-esteem and social support of middle school students are also important resources for reduce depression and suicide prevention.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.524-532
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to explore the relationship of social support and meaning of life to suicidal thoughts among patients with cancer. Methods: Data were collected by questionnaires from 138 patients who had been in cancer treatment at medical clinics and 8 patients who were members of an internet cancer association. The data were collected between August and November 2009 and analyzed using SPSS 12.0. Results: Of the participants, 47.3% reported having had suicidal thoughts and 16.4% had attempted suicide since the diagnosis of cancer. The study participants received most support from family members, but 73.3% reported experiencing an existential vacuum. The suicide attempt group had significantly higher scores according to gender, age, level of education, diagnosis, treatment modality, level of activity, caregiver and social support compare to the suicide thought group. Suicidal thoughts were negatively related to social support and meaning of life was positively associated with social support. Support from family and friends and diagnosis explained 50.0% of variance for suicidal thoughts with 36.0% of variance being explained by family support. Conclusion: Nurses should be able to identify risk factors for suicide in cancer patients. Prevention and intervention efforts need to be directed toward improving social support, family support in particular, and assisting patients finding meaning in life after a diagnosis of cancer.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.295-308
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• 2012

This study aimed to investigate gender differences in prevalence and correlates of depression and suicidal ideation among Korean adolescents. The analysis was performed using data from the 2009 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Logistic regression models and Wald chi-square statistics were used to identify the difference in the coefficients between the gender-specific models. Female students reported higher prevalence for depression(42.9%) than male students(31.4%), as well as higher level of suicidal ideation(girls:23.1%, boys:14.7%). Lower school achievement, worse self-rated health status, more conflicts were associated with higher level of depression and suicidal ideation. The impact of school achievement and conflicts with friends on mental health was greater among girls than boys. We suggest that the efficient strategies focusing on the gender differences should be established to improve mental health among Korean adolescents.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.603-610
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• 2020

This study examined the mental health-related factors of Korean adolescents, especially focusing on the influence of internet use. This study analyzed the raw data from the 14th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2018. The study population was 60,040, with 50.7% male students and 49.3% female students, and 49.7% high school students and 50.3% middle school students. The dependent variables were stress, sadness and despair, suicidal ideation, suicidal plan, and suicidal attempt. The independent variables were gender and age, health behaviors, and time using the internet. Logistic regression analysis was applied to derive the related factors. For all dependent variables, the main contributing variables were gender, grade, economic status, and academic performance. The mental health of adolescents was related to various factors. In particular, the time using the internet was linearly related to the degree of stress, and a higher student group of time using the internet had a more significant effect on sadness, despair, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal plans. In conclusion, the time using the internet has harmful effects on the mental health of Korean adolescents.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.115-128
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• 2015

This study aims to examine the general tendency of suicidal ideation in single person households and to analyse the differences and effects of related variables(sociodemographic variables, characteristics of single person households, happiness and depression) on suicidal ideation. For achieving these purposes, a survey was conducted using questionnaires, based on quota sampling that considers the distribution of population in each dong of one Gu in Gwangju. Finally, data of 686 single person households were used for analysis. The study findings were as follows. The average score of suicidal ideation in single person households was 6.47 points, it was somewhat higher as compared to prior research that was targeting general households. And the average score of happiness index was 4.17 points, depression was 33.11 points. The level of suicidal ideation in single person households was significantly different according to age, occupation, economic status, health status, period of single life, life satisfaction, and contact with family. In addition, the level of depression(${\beta}=.24$, p<.01) had the biggest effect on suicidal ideation in single person households and it was followed by happiness index(${\beta}=-.19$, p<.05) and family visit(${\beta}=-.15$, p<.05). The total explanatory power was 37%. These findings imply that it is important to find a high mental health risk group and treat it early, because there is a high possibility that single person households might have mental health problems by being isolated or alienated from society. In addition, diverse program and services designed to maintain familial bonds despite family members living separately are needed.