• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.236-245
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• 2013

This study analyzed the relationship between elderly suicide rates and socio-economic factors from the macroscopic perspectives. As certain theoretical background of elderly suicide, sociological and economic perspectives are applied. The economic factors of elderly suicide rates consisted of economic growth and unemployment rate, economic activity rate of the aged, and relative poverty rate (income inequality rate). The sociological factors included social welfare spending, divorce rate, growth rate of population aging, and elderly dependency ratio. According to research findings, first, the more economic activity of the aged is low, the more elderly suicide rate is high. Second, the more social welfare spending rate goes flat, the more elderly suicide rate is growing. Third, the more relative poverty rate (income inequality), increasing population aging rate, and elderly dependency ratio are high, elderly suicide rate goes high at the same time. Finally, this study proposed several socio-economic policy alternatives for preventing continuous growth of Korean elderly suicide rate.

• Health and Mission
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• s.24
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• pp.28-31
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• 2011

최근 경제적 어려움이나 극심한 스트레스로 인해 자살이라는 극단적인 선택을 하는 사람들이 늘고 있다. 우리나라는 5분에 한명씩 자살을 시도하고, 45분에 한명씩 자살로 생명을 잃을 만큼 자살 문제가 심각하다. 우리나라는 2006년에 이미 OECD(경제협력개발기구) 국가 중 가장 높은 자살율을 기록하고 있으며 2009년 통계청 자료에 의하면 인구 10만 명당 31명에 이른다. 특별히 경제난으로 고통 받고 있는 사람들에게 자살분위기가 도미노처럼 번져 나가고 있는 것은 참으로 우려스러운 일이 아닐 수 없다. 인간생명의 존엄성이 상실되어 가는 현실사회의 문제를 떠맡아 기초적인 실마리를 제공하고 해결해야 하는 것은 세상의 빛과 소금의 역할을 해야 하는 교회의 몫이라고 보여 진다.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
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• 2011.05b
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• pp.904-906
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• 2011

2008년 9월부터 2009년 3월까지 6개월간 일개 도의 7개 시군에 주민등록을 갖고 있는 만 19세 이상의 성인 1,400명을 조사대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 지역사회 주민의 자살행동 평생유병률을 구하고, 자살생각만 하는 집단과 자살생각 및 자살계획을 갖는 집단의 위험요인을 비교하였다. 조사대상자의 자살생각률은 15.9%, 자살계획은 4.3%, 자살시도율은 1.8%이었으며, 자살생각자 중 27.0%가 자살계획을, 자살 계획자 중 42%가 자살시도를 하였다. 전체 독립변수간의 영향을 보정한 상태에서 다변량분석을 한 결과 우울증, 스트레스, 연령, 삶의 질, 사회적 갈등, 직업이 전체 자살생각에 영향을 주며, 자살생각만에는 우울, 스트레스, 삶의 질이 중요한 요인으로 나타났다. 결론적으로 자살행동을 효과적으로 예방 관리하기 위하여 우울증, 스트레스, 연령, 삶의 질, 사회적 갈등, 실직 상태에 놓인 사람들을 우선적으로 관리할 필요성이 있다.

• 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.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.261-285
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• 2019

The essential policy of suicide prevention is to continuously manage and treat suicide attempted people through data base related to suicide retry rate and follow-up study report. In Korea, only few people are allowed to follow-up by the Personal Information Protection Act. As a result, the research participation rate and the service participation rate are rather low, so that the research participants is limited to a part of the suicide attempted people. Therefore, the policy proposals to be improved in the Ministry of Health and Welfare Act were examined comparatively in order to increase the practical utilization of the suicide prevention about Article 14 and Article 20 of the Suicide Prevention Act. As a criterion for policy improvement, measures for non-discrimination of information to be considered in terms of technical and ethical dimensions and non-profit research and medical information for medical purposes were suggested. In addition to the severity of the suicide, the suicide risk was assessed and the criteria for the objective assessment of the follow-up observation were considered in consideration of the severity of the suicide.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.525-533
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• 2012

This aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of suicide-related behavior(suicide ideation, plans and attemps) and its relationship in college students. 384 college students in Daejeon, Chungbuk provice were selected for this study from April 2 to April 21, 2012. Collected data was analyzed by using the SPSS 19.0 pragram. The prevalence of lifetime suicide ideation, plans and attemps were 32.3%, 4.7% and 3.0%. Respondents with mild ~ severe depressive symptoms were 42.2%. Depressive symptom was the consistent and crucial risk factor associated with suicide-related behavior indicates(suicide ideation, plans and attempts) commonly. We consider the suicide ideation and depressive symptom when develop the suicide prevention program. To prevent suicide, institutionalization of suicide screening program for who experience suicide ideation, depression, follow management of pre-suicide attemptor, surrounders of suicide victims, development of manual about strategy toward suicide, operating mental health program, delicate media representation.

• 한국사회정책
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.233-263
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• 2018

This study sought to identify gender-specific mechanisms of increased suicide rates during economic crises in South Korea. In order to address research aims, we focused on two international economic crises: IMF financial crisis in 1997, and international recession in 2008. This study provides three main findings. First, different mechanisms increased suicide rates during the two economic crises. Particularly, the high level of unemployment raised suicide rates during the 1997 IMF while the high level of working poor in the 2008 recession. Second, suicidal risk patterns for men and women differed at each period. The 1997 crisis which mostly affected full-time permanent workers had had relatively greater impacts on men suicide, whereas the 2008 crisis which affected precarious workers had done on women suicide. Finally, our finding indicated that these gender-specific risk patterns had been derived from the gendered labour market and male-friendly social policy. Placing women at the periphery of the labor market and using them as a buffer in times of crisis, governments failed to protect them from their economic difficulties. Suicide is fundamental and important public health and social problems. These findings suggest that the national suicide prevention strategy should pay attention to the social determinants of suicide through gendered as well as population health perspectives.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.141-145
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study was to describe and compare trends in suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt and suicide in Republic of Korea from 2006 to 2011. Such data are needed to guide policies to reduce suicidal behaviors. Methods : Data came from the 2006-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Korea National Statistical Office and 2006-2011 Korean Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study Replication and 2007-2011 National Emergency Department Information System. Results : No change occurred between 2006-2011 in suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt, whereas suicide rate increased annually. Suicidal attempt events was decreased in age over 50. Suicidal attempts by poisoning and hanging have increased, although suicide caused by poisoning of insecticide have decreased. Especially, suicides caused by hanging have gradually increased in both sex. Conclusions : These finding suggest that fatal suicidal methods may influence increased suicidal rate. Instead of traditional suicidal process, investigation of other pathway about suicidal behaviors should be needed.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.167-187
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• 2000

The rates and numbers of elderly suicide in Korea have been increased during 1985-1998. This indicates the seriousness of the problems which the elderly are faced with. So many late-life problems may push older people across the edges. Those in unbearable situations may call out fur helps, they may try to cope with various ways, or they may commit suicides. Because it is widely believed that suicide among the elderly can be understood as a personal solution or alternative to late-life problems in old age, the elderly\`s suicides seem to be an appropriate indicator in estimating seriousness of late-life problems. A comparison of the history of suicide research with other populations shows that the several late-life problems have been found with placing an individual elder at risks for increasing suicidal behaviors Research has identified such problems as financial insecurity, retirement, loss of social roles, physical illness, lack of social supports, and loneliness as the problems that increase the incidence of suicidal behavior. Though it is difficult far us to explain and understand the phenomenon of the elderly\`s suicide because of its complexity, we need to ascertain problems and social conditions behind suicides and also to prepare for some appropriate policy-tasks in light of social welfare for the aged, through examining the phenomenon. For explaining the elderly\`s suicide, the theoretical orientations are based on sociological perspectives in the paper. From the standpoints of social integration theory and exchange theory, this study is to examine the relationship between late-life problems and suicide. These two may have been fruitfully employed in conjunction with each other. Finally, this study would identify urgent late-life problems related with the elderly\`s suicide and suggest the relevant policies for Korean elders. Sometime in the near future, the government should be required to provide social welfare programs for the elderly, particularly for those at risk for increasing suicidal behaviors.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.31-54
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• 2011

The main purposes of this study are to describe regional differentials of the rate and to explore factors impacting on the regional differentials among the elderly's suicide rate in the Republic of Korea. Suicide data among 16 provinces from 2000 to 2008 were used for the statistical analyses. Six independent variables, such as crude divorce rate, GRDP per capita, welfare budget proportion, number of leisure facilities, number of medical and housing welfare facilities, and number of sports facilities are introduced for the multiple regression analyses. Elderly suicide rate, female elderly's suicide rate, and male elderly's suicide rate are used for the dependent variables. The findings of this study are as follows: Elderly's suicide rate has been increased constantly since 2000 and regional differentials of the elderly's suicide have been existed over time. According to the multiple regressions analyses, number of sports facilities(${\beta}$=-521), welfare budget proportion, and number of leisure facilities(${\beta}$=-219) have shown statistically significant negative relationships with the elderly's suicide rate. On the other hand, number of medical facilities(${\beta}$=0.550), crude divorce rate(${\beta}$=0336) have shown statistically significant positive relationships with the elderly's suicide rate in the Republic of Korea. Finally, some policy implications for alleviating the elderly's suicide rate are introduced and discussed.