• Anxiety and mood
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2013

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.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.8
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• pp.291-298
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• 2017

This study is to examine the status and trends of regional elderly group(pre-elderly and elderly segment)'s suicide rates and socio-economic factors, to analyze the relevance of suicide rates and socio-economic factors, and to understand differential factors of elderly group's suicide rates between metropolitan areas and small-medium sized areas. For this, analysis on relevance between socio-economic factors and elderly group's suicide rates has been done using regional statistical data for the past ten years(2006~2015) by National Statistical office. According to research findings, Socio-economic factors such as welfare budget ratio, divorce rates, economic activity rates, and financial independent rates have shown different effects on elderly group's suicide rates by age range and regional characteristics. Based on these analyses, this study suggested policy tasks for alleviating suicide rates of elderly group.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.9-19
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to analyze the difference in suicide rates between regions and to determine the effect of social workers on the regional suicide rate. The main analysis results are as follows. First, the suicide rates in metropolitan cities were lower than was lower than in other regions, and cities and districts were lower than those in the county area. Second, suicide rates were high in areas with many cultural and social welfare facilities per population. Suicide rates were high in low mental health facilities and low social welfare budgets. The suicide rate in rural areas was high. Third, suicide rates were high in areas with low economic requirements, areas with a high proportion of the elderly, divorce rates, and areas with a small number of social security recipients and living alone. In other words, the suicide rate in rural areas was high. Finally, social workers did not affect the difference in local suicide rates. Local social services and budgets have no real impact on suicide rates. In the future, it is necessary to improve the quality and quantity of community welfare practices that can lower community suicide rates.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.318-331
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• 2022

The government has been promoting suicide prevention policies, but the elderly suicide rate has still not improved. This study focused on the role of local governments in solving suicide problems and analyzed three-year data from 2015 to 2017 at local governments level to investigate the relationship between suicide prevention policies and elderly suicide rates. Multiple regression analysis and logistic regression analysis was conducted to control social capital factors, demographic factors, and medical use factors that can affect the elderly suicide rate. As a result of the analysis, it was confirmed that suicide prevention ordinances were enacted and suicide prevention centers were established in areas with high suicide rates. In areas with high suicide rates, the suicide rate decreases if the elapsed period is long after the establishment of the center. From the perspective of suicide rates, it was analyzed that the local welfare support system was more affected. Accordingly, it was confirmed that the suicide prevention policy should be established in connection with the reinforcement of welfare policies

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2007

Objectives : By comparing the prevalence rates of suicide-related behaviors (suicide ideation, plan and attempt) between depressive disorder and anxiety disorder patients, we tried to find the characteristics of suicide-related behaviors in these patients. Methods : Four hundred-three patients participated in the study and the prevalence rates of suicide-related behaviors were investigated using Korean version of Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview plus. Pearson Chi-Square test was used to find the association between depressive or anxiety disorders and suiciderelated behaviors. Results : Statistically significant differences were found between depressive disorder group and anxiety disorder group in terms of suicide ideation ($X^2$=6.173, df=1, p=0.013) and suicide attempt ($X^2$=8.008, df=1, p=0.005). We also found that patients in depressive disorder group were more likely to have suicide ideation (Odds Ratio=2.049, 95% Confidence Interval=1.155-3.635), and attempt suicide (Odds Ratio=4.970, 95% Confidence Interval=1.466-16.845) than patients in anxiety disorder group. Conclusion : These findings suggest that suicide ideation and suicide attempt rates are higher in depressive disorders than in anxiety disorders.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.348-356
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the number of suicide deaths in women, trends in suicide mortality, characteristics of suicide by age, and outcomes of suicide means over the past decade (2011-2021) in South Korea. Methods: Using cause of death data from Statistics Korea, an in-depth analysis of Korean women's suicide trends was conducted for the period of 2011-2021. Results: In 2021, women's suicide death in Korea was 4,159, a rate of 16.2 per 100,000 population. The rate increased by 1.4% from the previous year. Since 2011, women's suicide rate has been on a steady downward trend, but since 2018, it has been on the rise again. Suicide rates among women in their 20s and 30s have increased, especially since the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, and suicide rates among women over 70 years remain high. As compared to 2011, pesticide poisoning and hanging among the means of suicide have decreased significantly, while drug and carbon monoxide continue to increase. Conclusion: Suicide rates for Korean women in their 20s and 30s have increased significantly in recent years, and those for women over 70 years remain high. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the causes and establish national policies for targeted management of these age groups, which contributes significantly to the rising suicide rate among Korean women.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.85-91
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• 2003

Objectives : We investigated the effects of the economic growth and unemployment rates on the suicide rate in Korea, between 1983 and 2000, using a time-series regression model. The purpose of this study was to model and test the magnitude of the rate of suicide, with the Korean unemployment rate and GDP. Methods : Using suicide rate per 100,000 Koreans and the unemployment rates between 1983 and 2000, as published by the Korea National Statistical Office, and the rate of fluctuation of the Korean GDP (Gross Domestic Product), as provided by the Bank of Korea, as an index of the economic growth rate, a time-series regression analysis, with a first-order autoregressive regression model, was peformed. Results : An 81.5% of the variability in the suicide rate was explained by GDP, and 82.6% Of that was explained by the unemployment rate. It was also observed that the GDP negatively correlated with the suicide rate, while the unemployment and suicide rates were positively correlated. For subjects aged over 20, both the GDP and unemployment rate were found to be a significant factors in explaining suicide rates, with coefficients of determination of 86.5 and 87.9%, respectively. For subjects aged under 20, however, only the GDP was found to be a significant factor in explaning suicide rates (the coefficient of determination is 38.4%). Conclusion : It was found that the suicide rate was closely related to the National's economic status of Korea, which is similar to the results found in studies in other countries. We expected, therefore, that this study could be used as the basis for further suicide-related studies.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.64-73
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• 2020

Suicidality is the most serious complication of mood disorders and psychosis; effective treatment should reduce suicide rates. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development age-standardized suicide rate in Korea was 22.6 in 2018, much higher compared to other countries worldwide. As mental and psychiatric problems are the main reasons for suicide attempts, accounting for 31.6% in 2018, targeting such problems should be the focus of efforts to reduce suicide rates. However, the ability of current pharmacotherapeutic and psychotherapeutic interventions to reduce suicide rates is limited due to their delayed effects. Therefore, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment. This approach is effective for treating most mental disorders associated with high suicide rates, including severe depression, bipolar disorder, and intractable psychotic disorders; ECT is also effective for Parkinson's disease, which has the highest suicide rate among all disorders in Korea. The acute, long-term, and prophylactic effects of ECT on suicidality have been reported in the literature, and treatment guidelines outside of Korea recommend that ECT be used at an early stage for rapid reduction of suicide rates, as opposed to being applied as a treatment of last resort. However, only ~0.092 of every 10000 members of the Korean general population received ECT in 2018; this is much lower than the average rate worldwide, of 2.2 per 10000. Elimination of obstacles to the use of ECT, early crisis intervention involving administration of ECT for rapid stabilization, and maintenance ECT to prevent recurrence should reduce suicide rates.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.194-292
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to update suicide-related indicators, including the number of suicidal deaths, suicide rate, and the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. We observed trends in suicide-related indicators based on up-to-date information. Methods: This study used five data sources to evaluate the trends of suicide-related indicators: Statistics Korea (1983-2021), Korean Wealth Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2012-2021), and Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, 2010-2013, 2016-2019), Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination (KNHANES, 2007-2013, 2015-2021), Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS, 2008-2009, 2013, 2017, 2021). Results: The suicide rate per 100,000 population increased from 25.7 in 2020 to 26.0 in 2021. The rates of suicidal ideation from recently available data were 4.28% (KNHANES, 2021), 6.52% (KCHS, 2021), 1.61% (KOWEPS) and 7.10% (KHP, 2019). The suicidal attempts rates were 0.46% (KNHANES, 2021) and 0.34% (KCHS, 2021). The annual percentage change (APC) of suicide rate showed that suicide rates increased in the younger population (APC=9.02% in <19 years, APC=5.13 in 20-39 years) although the rates decreased in the older population (APC=-3.37 in 60-79 years, APC=-2.25 in >80 years). Conclusion: The suicide rate and related indicators increased in 2021 compared to 2020. Thus, continuous observation and appropriate suicide prevention policies as well as studies about the factors that affected the increase in 2021 are needed.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.70-77
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• 2012

Objectives: Identify the characteristics related to the suicide rates in rural and urban areas of Korea and discover the factors that influence the suicide rate of the rural and urban areas. Methods: Using the data on causes of death from 2006 to 2008, the suicide rates were calculated and compared after age-standardization based on gender, age group and urbanicity. And, in order to understand the factors that influence suicide rate, total 10 local characteristics in four domains - public service, social integration, residential environment, and economic status - were selected for multiple regression analysis. Results: The suicide rates were higher in men than women, in rural areas than urban, and in older people than the younger. Generally, although there were variations according to age group and urbanicity, suicide rates were significantly related to residential environment and regional economic status but not related to regional welfare spending and social integration. In addition, the population over the age of 65 years, only regional economic status has significantly influence on their suicide rates. Conclusions: The influence of characteristics of regions on suicide rate is various by age-group, gender, and urbanicity. Therefore, in order to lower suicide rate and reduce the gap between regions, various approaches must be adopted by taking into account the socioeconomic characteristics of the regions.