Suicide rate and social environment characteristics in South Korea: the roles of socioeconomic, demographic, urbanicity, general health behaviors, and other environmental factors on suicide rate

Lee, Whanhee; Kim, Yong-Ook; Kim, Ho

doi:10.1186/s12889-022-12843-4

Cited by 32 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Moreover, rate of death by suicide per 100,000 population decreased or remained in most OECD countries [ 7 ]. In contrast, in Korea, deaths by suicide increased by 46%, and suicide rates were higher (24.6 per 100,000) than in other countries from 2000 to 2019 [ 9 ]. Additionally, in the United States, suicide rate was a stable period from 2000 to 2007.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of Korean Children and Adolescents Who Die by Suicide Based on Teachers’ Reports

Lee

Jhone

Kim

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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We analyzed the clinical characteristics and suicide-related factors of students who died by suicide in Korea in 2016–2020, based on teachers’ reports. Using data on total suicide deaths (N = 654, mean age = 16.0, 52.6% boys) collected by the Ministry of Education of Korea, we investigated the demographic and clinical characteristics and suicide-related factors of suicide deaths in students aged 9–18 years. Considering gender, more boys (52.6%, N = 344) died by suicide than girls (47.4%, N = 310). About 425 (65.0%) of the suicides were among high school students. The most common suicide method was jumping from a high place (70.6%, N = 454), followed by hanging (25.7%, N = 165). Additionally, 9.4% (N = 48) of the students who died by suicide had a history of attempted suicide, 13.4% (N = 73) had attempted self-harm, and 12.8% (N = 48) were acquainted with someone who had died by suicide. Teachers observed 20.6% (N = 120) of the suicide warning signs at school. Girls tended to have higher rates of attempted suicide, emotional problems, and psychiatric disorders than boys. This study was conducted with the largest sample of Korean suicide students observed at school. Effective suicide-related mental health training for teachers could contribute to suicide prevention in students.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of Korean Children and Adolescents Who Die by Suicide Based on Teachers’ Reports

Lee

Jhone

Kim

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…Jang et al reported that in South Korea, the associations between indices of isolation (% divorce and % detached houses) and suicide rates were stronger for men than for women and for younger age groups than older. 22 Future research is needed to clarify why area-specific suicide risk among young Japanese population is not associated with socioeconomic deprivation, but social fragmentation. Concerning males and females aged 60+ years, suicide risk appeared to be lower in municipalities with higher level of social fragmentation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our results indicated that, only among males aged 0–39 years and females aged 0–39 years and 40–59 years, suicide risk was significantly larger for municipalities in the highest quartile category of social fragmentation. Jang et al reported that in South Korea, the associations between indices of isolation (% divorce and % detached houses) and suicide rates were stronger for men than for women and for younger age groups than older 22. Future research is needed to clarify why area-specific suicide risk among young Japanese population is not associated with socioeconomic deprivation, but social fragmentation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For South Korea, two spatial analyses reported a positive association between area-specific suicide rates and socioeconomic deprivation, but these studies did not examine the association between social fragmentation and suicide 20 21. It has been previously reported that there were significant associations between area-specific suicide rates and social environment characteristics such as socioeconomic status and isolation 22. Although it is not clear why the findings of Asian countries are different from those of the UK, Lin et al suggested that one of the reasons may be the differences in social protection measures between the UK and Asian countries 16.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…20 21 It has been previously reported that there were significant associations between area-specific suicide rates and social environment characteristics such as socioeconomic status and isolation. 22 Although it is not clear why the findings of Asian countries are different from those of the UK, Lin et al suggested that one of the reasons may be the differences in social protection measures between the UK and Asian countries. 16 That is, social protection measures might be relatively more comprehensive in the UK than in Asian countries and offset some of the suicide risk in deprived areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations between social fragmentation, socioeconomic deprivation and suicide risk across 1887 municipalities in Japan, 2009–2017: a spatial analysis using the Bayesian hierarchical model

et al. 2022

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ObjectivePrevious studies have indicated that spatial variation in suicide mortality is associated with area-specific socioeconomic characteristics, such as socioeconomic deprivation and social fragmentation. However, most of these studies have been conducted in the West and findings from Asian countries are limited. This study aims to investigate associations between socioeconomic characteristics and suicide mortality rates across 1887 municipalities in Japan between 2009 and 2017. We also assessed these associations by gender and age group.MethodsSuicide data were obtained from the suicide statistics of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan and included information on the number of suicides by gender, age and municipality location. Social fragmentation, socioeconomic deprivation and urbanicity were used as socioeconomic characteristics in this study and were created from survey data obtained from the 2010 census. Bayesian hierarchical models were used to examine associations between socioeconomic characteristics and suicide risk.ResultsSuicide rates were significantly higher in municipalities with higher levels of deprivation, with a rate ratio of 1.13 (95% credible interval: 1.10 to 1.17) in the highest quartile compared with the lowest. Higher levels of urbanicity had significantly lower suicide rates, with a rate ratio of 0.79 (95% credible interval: 0.77 to 0.82) in the highest quartile compared with the lowest. However, associations between exposures and suicide varied considerably by gender and age. Among both men and women aged 0–39 years, fragmentation was significantly associated with suicide, with rate ratios of 1.07 and 1.15 for men and women, respectively, in the highest quartile compared with the lowest.ConclusionSuicide prevention in Japan should particularly focus on areas with high levels of deprivation or low levels of urbanicity. Furthermore, young Japanese people residing in the most fragmented municipalities were also at high risk of suicide, and appropriate measures need to be taken.

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Social Vulnerability and Risk of Suicide in US Adults, 2016-2020

et al. 2023

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ImportanceThere were over 45 000 suicides in the US in 2020, making suicide the 12th leading cause of death. If social vulnerability is associated with suicide rates, targeted interventions for at-risk segments of the population may reduce US suicide rates.ObjectiveTo determine the association between social vulnerability and suicide in adults.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cohort study analyzed 2 county-level social vulnerability measures (the Social Vulnerability Index [SVI] and the Social Vulnerability Metric [SVM]) and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention–reported county-level suicides from 2016 to 2020. Data were analyzed November and December 2022.ExposuresCounty-level variability in social vulnerability.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome measure was number of county-level adult suicides from 2016 to 2020, offset by county adult population during those years. The association between social vulnerability (measured using the SVI and the newly created SVM for 2018) and suicide was modeled using a bayesian-censored Poisson regression model to account for the CDC’s suppression of county-level suicide counts of less than 10, adjusted for age, racial and ethnic minority, and urban-rural county characteristics.ResultsFrom 2016 to 2020, there were a total of 222 018 suicides in 3141 counties. Comparing the least socially vulnerable (0% to 10%) to the most socially vulnerable (90% to 100%) counties, there was a 56% increase in suicide rate (17.3 per 100 000 persons to 27.0 per 100 000 persons) as measured by the SVI (incidence rate ratio, 1.56; 95% credible interval, 1.51-1.60) and an 82% increase in suicide rate (13.8 per 100 000 persons to 25.1 per 100 000 persons) as measured by the SVM (incidence rate ratio, 1.82; 95% credible interval, 1.72-1.92).Conclusions and RelevanceThis cohort study found that social vulnerability had a direct association with risk for adult suicide. Reducing social vulnerability may lead to life-saving reduction in the rate of suicide.

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Suicide rate and social environment characteristics in South Korea: the roles of socioeconomic, demographic, urbanicity, general health behaviors, and other environmental factors on suicide rate

Cited by 32 publications

References 41 publications

Characteristics of Korean Children and Adolescents Who Die by Suicide Based on Teachers’ Reports

Characteristics of Korean Children and Adolescents Who Die by Suicide Based on Teachers’ Reports

Associations between social fragmentation, socioeconomic deprivation and suicide risk across 1887 municipalities in Japan, 2009–2017: a spatial analysis using the Bayesian hierarchical model

Social Vulnerability and Risk of Suicide in US Adults, 2016-2020

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