• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.165-172
• /
• 2023

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a significant difference in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio according to the history of suicide attempt in patients with psychiatric diseases. Methods : A medical record review was conducted on patients who had been hospitalized in Konyang University Hospital since 2021-03-01 to 2023-02-28 to collect demographic and clinical characteristics. T-test for continuous variables and Chi-square test for categorical variables were performed to determine demographic differences according to the history of suicide attempt, and the ANCOVA test was performed to compare the average value of peripheral inflammatory marker according to the history of suicide attempt with gender and age as covariates. One-way variance analysis was performed to determine whether the number of suicide attempt causes significant difference of the peripheral inflammatory marker. Results : The final analysis target of this study was 266 patients, 101 had history of suicide attempt, and 165 had no history of suicide attempt. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (p<0.001) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (p<0.001) were higher in patients with the history of suicide attempt than patients without the history of suicide attempt, but the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were not significantly increased depending on the serial increase of number of suicide attempts. Conclusions : This study suggests that peripheral inflammatory markers are meaningful and easily accessible indicators for predicting the risk of suicide attempt in psychiatric patients. We expect that prospective follow-up study will be conducted with more subjects and controlled potential confounding variables.

• Anxiety and mood
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2008

Objective : This study investigated the temperament and character traits associated with suicide attempts in patients with mood disorders. Methods : The temperament and character inventory (TCI) was administered to 150 patients who visited psychiatric clinics seeking treatment for mood symptoms. The patients were divided into three groups as follows : non-suicide ideation, suicide ideation and suicide attempt. We also gathered socio-economic data in order to rule out confounding variables. MANOVA was performed to analyze differences in personal temperament and character scores on the TCI between the three groups. Results : The self-directedness and cooperativeness subscales of the TCI are most influenced by the clinical symptoms rated by Beck Suicide Ideation Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. In the temperament scale, the suicide attempt group scored higher on the novelty seeking and harm avoidance items than the other two groups. The specific temperaments associated with suicidal behavior in patients with depression are impulsivity (NS2) and anticipatory anxiety or pessimism (HA1). Conclusion : In this study, we found that more risky patients who had previously attempted suicide had a temperament of impulsivity or pessimism. This finding suggests that a more cautious approach is needed to assess mood disorder patients with impulsive or pessimistic temperaments in order to prevent suicide attempts.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.61-71
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the meaning and essence of suicide for elderly people who had previously attempted suicide as an older person. Methods: Giorgi's descriptive phenomenology was used for analysis. The researchers carried out in-depth interviews, recordings and memos individually with four elders. The elders were individuals who had attempted suicide sometime in the past 5 yr. They were interviewed from 5 to 10 times using open-ended questions and a semi-structural format. Demographic data were also collected. Results: The meaning of suicide before a suicide attempt in older people had four core components: conflict with family, powerlessness and despair in their life with a drop in self-esteem, using internal and external resources to resolve their troubles and awareness of imminent crisis. Conclusion: These results of this study will increase understanding of suicide in older people by defining their subjective experience of suicide attempts and applying grounded data in the development of programs that provide concrete intervention strategies to prevent suicide in elderly people.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.199-206
• /
• 2021

Objectives : This study aimed to compare the characteristics of suicide attempts among Korean patients with mixed and non-mixed depression. Methods : Patients who visited the emergency room due to a suicide attempt and participated in the Korean Cohort for the Model Predicting a Suicide and Suicide-related Behavior study were included. Using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), 111 patients were classified into the mixed depression (n=46) and non-mixed depression groups (n=65). The Koukopoulos Mixed Depression Rating Scale (KMDRS) score was calculated using the MADRS and YMRS scores. Suicide attempt characteristics were evaluated using the Columbia Suicidal Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and Suicide Intent Scale (SIS). Results : In the mixed depression group, the reason item among the ideation intensity score of the C-SSRS was higher, and the deterrent item score was lower. Scores on the timing and suicide note items of the SIS were higher, and scores for overt communication items were lower in the mixed depression group. The KMDRS score was positively correlated with the C-SSRS ideation intensity and total SIS score. After adjusting for additional variables, the KMDRS scores had a significant effect on the C-SSRS ideation intensity and total SIS scores. Conclusions : The mixed depression group showed a difference in the intensity of suicidal ideation and suicidal intention compared to those in the non-mixed depression group. The overall suicidal ideation intensity and suicidal intention increased according to the degree of mixed depression.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.304-315
• /
• 2012

Today, suicide by self-poisoning of prescribed or non-prescribed drugs on purpose has been increasing and is a major cause of mortality. It is very important to treat promptly and properly for saving the lives from those suicides. There is neither an organization such as poison control center nor measurement in S. Korea, though. The object of this study was to evaluate information of frequently used substances for suicide attempt in S. Korea. Our results also can provide healthcare provider including pharmacists and doctors, etc and contribute to increasing health and welfare for Korean. From June $1^{st}$ 2006 to April $30^{th}$ 2012, we retrospectively studied patients visiting emergency room due to suicide attempt. We collected information of underlying disease, history of past medical condition and suicide attempt, ingredient and getting route of ingesting substances, emergency treatment, and outcome by reviewing electronic medical record. We also evaluated actual treatment of self-poisoning and made guide information about antidote medication for S. Korean healthcare provider. Among total 242 cases of suicidal attempts, cases ingesting substances including prescription, non-prescription drugs and agricultural chemicals were 86.4%. The most frequently used drugs for suicide attempt were sedatives-hypnotics (53.6%), followed by analgesics (16.7%) and antidepressants (12.4%). Analgesics including acetaminophen and aspirin were most in teenagers but sedatives-hypnotics including benzodiazepines, non-benzodiazepine (zolpidem) and antihistamine were most in other ages including elderly people. Most frequently used antidote was activated charcoal (62.7%) and specific antidotes for some substances (acetaminophen, aspirin, agricultural chemicals) were also treated properly, accompanying with medication for supportive care. In conclusion, the most used substances for suicide attempt were sedatives-hypnotics and treatments for self-poisoning in emergency room were appropriate based on existing references. Therefore, information of frequently used substances and antidote reflecting these results will be useful for South Korean healthcare provider.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.12 no.12
• /
• pp.5541-5549
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship self-control, stress, loneliness among University Students, to provide the basic data for prevention of suicide occurrence. Methods: The subjects of this study were 1,253 university students. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2$-test, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS 17.0 Program. Results: The degree of the suicide attempt was 13.6%. The reported scores for self-control, internet addiction, stress, self-efficacy, anxiety, loneliness were 69.9, 42.5, 86.4, 48.2, 46.2, 40.1, respectively. The degree of suicide attempt was significantly different according gender, religion, parents status, family economic status, living, friendship, exercise, alcohol drinking, loneliness, state anxiety, stress, self-control, and internet addiction. The influential factors affecting suicide attempt were parents status, internet addiction, gender, exercise, and loneliness, which explained about 5.5% of the variance. Conclusions: These result suggest that earlier screening and suicide prevention programs for university students will be helpful in preventing suicide attempt. Future studies need to be pursued to find various variances for suicide attempt for university students.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.232-239
• /
• 2021

This study aimed to update suicide-related indicators including suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and the number of suicidal deaths. Based on up-to-date information, we observed the trends of suicide-related indicators. In this study, five data sources were used to observe the trends of suicide-related indicators: Statistics Korea (1983-2019), Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination (KNHANES, '07-13, '15-19), Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), Korean Wealth Panel Study (KOWEPS, '12-19), and Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, '10-13, '16-17). The suicide rate, which peaked in 2011, declined until 2017 and then started to rise again from 2018, recording a suicide rate of 26.9 per 100,000 people in 2019. The rate of suicidal ideation estimated based on the recently available data was 4.62% (KNHANES, '19), 3.51% (KHP, '16), 2.87% (KHP, '17), and 1.70% (KOWEPS, '19). That of suicide attempt as recent year was 0.43% (KNHANES, '19), 0.07% (KOWEPS, '19). Annual percentage change of death by intentional self-harm was -2.11% (Statistics Korea), and that of suicidal ideation was -14.7% (KNHANES), -2.5% (KCHS), -10.6% (KOWEPS), and -11.3% (KHP). Annual percentage change of suicide attempt was -5.0% (KNHANES), -4.4% (KCHS), and -11.3% (KOWEPS). The lower the income level, the higher the probability of experiencing suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Considering the recent increase in suicide rate in contrast to the continuing decline in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, continuous data observation and appropriate policies regarding suicide prevention are needed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.21 no.6
• /
• pp.711-720
• /
• 2021

Objectives: This study attempted to determine the influence of factors related to suicide attempts in the elderly. Data from a 2017 Community Health Survey were used to find 67,810 subjects aged 65 years or older. Methods: Cross-analysis and logistic regression analysis were conducted by dividing the suicide thought and suicide attempt experience groups. Results: In the group with subjective stress, suicidal thoughts were higher in women 2.748 times (p<0.01) and 1.917 times (p<0.001) in women. In terms of income level, the higher the income level, the lower the suicidal ideation experience. Suicide attempts were 0.708 times lower when mastication was not uncomfortable and 0.170 times lower when the patient was not experiencing depression (p<0.001). Conclusions: The correlation between oral dysfunction and suicidal thoughts and attempts in the elderly has been demonstrated, and it is expected to be used as baseline data for establishing an institutional study.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.112-119
• /
• 2020

Suicide has been a long-standing problem for global public health, along with almost 800,000 deaths from suicide worldwide in 2016, accounting for 1.4% of all deaths. South Korea was ranked first in suicide mortality in 2018 among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. This study aimed to suggest up-to-date information about suicide-related indicators such as the rate of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide death, and its trends by applying sampling weight to make it nationally representative. In this study, we used the data sources: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination (KNHANES, '07-13, '15-18), Korean Community Health Survey (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), Korean Wealth Panel Study (KOWEPS, '12-18), Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, '10-13), and Statistics Korea (1983-2017). The rate of suicidal ideation as recent year was 4.73% (KNHANES, '17), 6.96% (KCHS, '17), 2.29% (KOWEPS, '18), and 5.39% (KHP, '13). That of suicide attempt as recent year was 0.51% (KNHANES, '18), 0.32% (KCHS, '17), and 0.15% (KOWEPS, '18). Annual percentage change (APC) of suicidal ideation was -15.4% (KNHANES, '07-13, '15, '17), -2.5% (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), -10.8% (KOWEPS, '12-18), and -10.9% (KHP, '10-13). APC of suicide attempt was -4.4% (KNHANES, '07-13, '15-18), -4.4% (KCHS, '08-09, '13, '17), and -13.6% (KOWEPS, '12-18). APC of death by intentional self-harm was -1.25% (Statistics Korea, '07-18). All suicide-related indicators were found to be decreasing in the overall from 2009. Individuals with lower income level were more likely to experience suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Even though suicide rate had been continuously decreasing from its highest point in 2011 (suicide rate: 31.7 per 100,000 population) to 2017 (suicide rate: 24.3 per 100,000 population), it increased again in 2018 (suicide rate: 26.6 per 100,000 population). This information would be grounded on policy implementation for suicide prevention, thus continuous data observation is necessary.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.291-302
• /
• 2020

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between oral health and suicide attempts in adults aged 19 years or older using the 7^th Korea National Health and Examination Survey (KHANES, 2016-2018). Methods: Of the 24,269 participants in the 7^th KHANES (2016-2018), 7,261 adults aged 19 years or older who had an oral health examination were selected. Complex samples crosstabulation (χ²-test) was performed to determine the rate of suicide ideation by general characteristics. Complex samples logistic regression was performed to ascertain the effects of oral health on suicide attempts. Results: Participants with gingivitis were 1.7 times more likely to receive mental health counseling (p<0.05) and 1.6 times more likely to attempt suicide (p<0.05). Conclusions: Oral health is significantly associated with suicide attempts in adults aged 19 years or older, and this emphasizes the importance of oral health management as an intervention for preventing suicide and improving the health of adults.