• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.41-49
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• 2012

Introduction : Suicide in Korea has increased to 31.2 persons per 100,000 population, the world's highest level. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the world, but in Korea, it is 4th leading cause of death. Therefore suicide is a serious problem in Korea. Many suicide prevention strategies have been proposed. Despite efforts to prevent suicides in Korea, a steady increases in the number of suicides has been brought into question the effectiveness of suicide prevention activities in Korea. Methods : Strategy of restricting suicide methods in many countries was reviewed. Systematic approach to restrict suicidal methods in Korea is proposed. Results : Restricting suicide methods is one of the effective suicide prevention strategies employed in the UK and other countries. Since many suicides occur impulsively, suicide attempt lethality is an important factor in determining the rate of deaths in suicidal attempts. Physical restriction of suicide methods is important in preventing suicide, but restriction of cognitive access to information about suicide and suicide method is more important in preventing suicide. In particular hanging is one of the most common methods of suicides in Korea, it is crucial to develop strategies to prevent suicide by hanging cognitively. Also information about suicide should be properly controlled. To do this, suicide news reporting guidelines should be observed, and website makers whose websites provoke thoughts about suicide should be more strictly sanctioned. Conclusion : Restricting suicide methods along with other suicide prevention plans may be the most effective way to prevent suicide in Korea.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제8권2호
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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.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.30-38
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• 2024

Background: Although Korea ranks first in the suicide rate of elderly individuals, there is limited research on those who attempt suicide, with preventive measures largely based on population-based studies. We compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of elderly individuals who attempted suicide with those of younger adults who visited the emergency department after suicide attempts and identified the factors associated with lethality in the former group. Methods: Individuals who visited the emergency department after a suicide attempt from April 1, 2017, to January 31, 2020, were included. Participants were classified into two groups according to age (elderly, ≥65 years; adult, 18-64 years). Among the 779 adult patients, 123 were elderly. We conducted a chi-square test to compare the demographic and clinical features between these groups and a logistic regression analysis to identify the risk factors for lethality in the elderly group. Results: Most elderly participants were men, with no prior psychiatric history or suicide attempts, and had a higher prevalence of underlying medical conditions and attributed their attempts to physical illnesses. Being sober and planning suicide occurred more frequently in this group. In the elderly group, factors that increased the mortality rate were biological male sex (p<0.05), being accompanied by family members (p<0.05), and poisoning as a suicide method (p<0.01). Conclusion: Suicide attempts in elderly individuals have different characteristics from those in younger adults and are associated with physical illness. Suicides in the former group are unpredictable, deliberate, and fatal. Therefore, tailored prevention and intervention strategies addressing the characteristics of those who are elderly and attempt suicide are required.

• 동서간호학연구지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.129-140
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• 2023

Objectives: Suicide rate in South Korea is one of the major public health concerns. This study examined the factors influencing the suicide methods of people who committed suicide in Gyeonggi-do, which accounts for one-fourth of the population of South Korea. Methods: This study analyzed the data of a total of 13,945 suicide deaths in Gyeonggi-do over a five-year period (2016-2020) provided by the Statistics Korea and the influence of social and demographic characteristics on the analyzed suicide methods. The differences in suicide methods according to the social and demographic characteristics of suicide victims were compared and analyzed through chi-squared, and items with significant differences in univariate tests were analyzed by multiple logisitic regression analysis. Results: Among suicide deaths, the most common method of suicide was hanging (52.4%). In particular, women, were employed, and stayed at home were higher risk of being hanged. The second most common method of suicide was leaping (17.7%). Women under the age of 30, those with a college degree or higher, those who were not working, time of death (6-12), and those outside the home were more likely to choose to take the leap. The third most common method of suicide was gas poisoning (15.8%). Young people under the age of 65, college graduates or higher, without a spouse, were employed, and spring season were at increased risk of choosing gas poisoning. Conclusions: The results highlight the need for policies that consider risk factors such as gender, age, education, marital status, employments status, time of suicide, and place of suicide in order to block access to suicide methods for suicide victims in Gyeonggi-do.

• 대한수사과학회지
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.5-22
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• 2007

자살은 불균형적인 사회발달로 인해 발생된 많은 사회문제들과 사회 전반적인 생명 경시적인 흐름에서 그 원인을 엿볼 수 있다. 이로 인해 기존의 다른 사회문제들에 대한 부수적인 차원에서의 접근이 이루어져 왔던 것이 현 실정이다. 지금까지 자살의 정의와, 자살의 원인 및 자살의 예방법에 관한 이론적인 연구는 활발하게 이루어 왔으나 자살문제는 다른 사회문제와는 달리 치료, 해결이란 거의 불가능하다. 치료, 해결을 할 수 있는 경우는 자살이 실패로 끝난 경우에만 할 수 있기 때문이다. 이에 본 연구에서는 2005년 한 해 동안 발생한 전체 변사사건 중 자살사건이 차지하는 비율을 파악하고 실제적인 원인을 자살수단, 직업, 연령, 학력 등의 연관성에 따라 나타난 특성분석을 실시하여 날로 심각해져만 가는 자살문제에 대한 대안을 제시하고자 하였다. 2005년 전체변사에서 자살이 차지하는 비율은 약 52.4%를 차지하였고 남성이 69%로 31%를 차지하는 여성에 비해 높았으며, 이는 사회활동과 관련이 있는 것으로 판단되며, 자살방법에 있어서도 남성은 투신, 독극물, 목맴 등 적극적인 방법(80%)을 택하는 반면, 여성은 수면제나 손목동맥절단 등의 소극적인 방법(60%)을 선택하는 경우가 높게 나타났다. 원인에서는 비관, 병고, 부정, 정신이상 등이 75% 이상으로 대부분 우울증세를 표출 후 자살을 하는 경우가 많았다. 또한 가정생계형 비관 관련 대학교 이하 저학력의 직접 노동형 종사자 등 무직자들의 자살이 많았으며, 최근 대졸 이상의 고학력자들과 정년 이후의 사회적 위치의 급격한 변화로 인한 신병비관 등의 우울증 관련 자살도 증가하고 있는 추세로 파악되었다. 전체적으로 원인은 여러 가지이나 최종 자살하기까지는 대부분 우울 증세를 표출하는 경우가 많은 것으로 파악돼 정신과적인 자살문제의 심각성을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 본 연구 결과는 현재의 자살추이가 앞으로도 계속 지속될 것이라는 예측을 함으로써 이에 대한 사회 정책을 유도하는 한편, 환경적, 사회적, 정책적 차원의 계속적인 지원으로 개인적인 갈등차원을 떠나 하나의 유행처럼 번질 수도 있으며, 지금보다 더욱 더 큰 형태의 문제로 다가올 수 있는 현실적인 사회문제에 대처할 국가 차원의 대비책 및 관리책 마련과 연구계획 수립의 기초 자료로 활용될 것으로 사료된다.

• 예술인문사회 융합 멀티미디어 논문지
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.269-277
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• 2018

As multicultural population has been drastically increasing over the decade in Korea, their quality of life needs to be studied. This study focuses on multicultural youths' suicidal issue in Korea. Suicide is one of the most obvious indicators to show the current status of mental health. Unfortunately, suicide attempt rate of multicultural youths was two-times more than that of non-multicultural youths in Korea during the past two years(2014-15). Through the literature review in Korea as well as the United States, this study explores the related variables to their suicide attempt. Research result says that multicultural youth's suicide is related to a variety of variables, including physical, psychological, educational, socio-economical, and cultural variables. Research implications are as follows: First, these variables can be utilized as predictive or protective factors to prevent their suicide. Second, theoretical framework for comprehensively understanding their suicidal issues needs to be developed. Third, both emergent and normal suicidal interventions need to be provided for multicultural youth in Korea.

• 의료법학
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.261-285
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• 2019

자살예방의 필수적인 정책은 바로 자살재시도율 관련 지표 수집 및 이에 기초한 추적조사를 통해 자살 시도자들을 지속적으로 관리 및 치료하는 것이다. 우리나라의 경우 「개인정보보호법」에 의해서 사례관리에 동의한 대상자들만이 추적 관찰이 가능하게 되어 있어, 연구 참여율 및 서비스 참여율이 저조하여 연구 참여자가 자살기도자의 일부에 국한된다는 한계점이 지속적으로 제기되고 있다. 이에 「자살예방법」 제14조 및 제20조에 따라 자살예방정책의 실질적 활용을 높이기 위한 방안으로 보건복지부법령에서 개선되어야 할 정책적 제안들을 비교 정책적으로 고찰하였다. 정책적 개선을 위한 기준으로서 기술적, 윤리적인 차원에서 고려해야 할 정보의 비식별화 조치 및 비영리 연구, 치료 목적으로만 의료정보에 접근할 수 있는 방안들을 제시하였으며, 한국형 중증도 분류 체계의 기준에 의해 외과적인 중증도와 더불어 자살위험도 평가를 통해 자살에 관한 심각성을 고려하여 지속적인 추적관찰 여부의 객관적 판단을 할 수 있는 기준을 제시하였다. 더불어 비교법적 고찰을 통해 즉각적인 정신과적 치료의 연계와 더불어 자살 시도자 및 보호자가 정신과적 진료에 실제로 접근함에 있어 진입장벽으로 여기는 건강보험 적용의 문제해결을 위해 효과적인 사례관리를 위한 사례관리 전문 교육에 대한 정책적 지원이 추가될 필요가 있음을 제언하였다.

• 의료ㆍ복지 건축 : 한국의료복지건축학회 논문집
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.51-60
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to derive the residential environment design elements that affect suicide, and then analyze the actual situation in terms of suicide prevention and suggest implications. Methods: The study was conducted through literature analysis, field surveys, and interviews with stakeholders. Results: As a result of extracting the variables related to the residential environment that affect suicide suggested in a total of 18 papers, 15 variables were extracted and organized into major categories such as housing type, health and welfare facilities, leisure and cultural facilities, and living environment. Next, we selected a public rental housing complex with a relatively high suicide rate among multi-family housing as the case, and conducted a empirical analysis. It was investigated that the facilities were insufficient, and apart from the quantitative satisfaction of the rest, various problems were exposed, such as the classification of users according to age and insufficient management in terms of the actual use of residents including suicide attempters. Implications: First, it is necessary to search for the design direction of the residential environment for suicide prevention. Second, it is necessary to find a way to solve the exclusion phenomenon that appears in space and programs. Third, when planning a space for suicide prevention, understanding of the behavior of high-risk groups should be reflected.

• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.10-18
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• 2013

The increasing suicide rate is a serious problem in Korea. Because of increased awareness of suicidality as a problem and because completed suicide is the fourth leading cause of death, it is very important to assess the risk of suicide. The purpose of this review is to provide a systematic examination of predictive validity of measures of suicidal ideation and behavior. A number of instruments are described as useful for identifying individuals "at high risk" for suicidal behavior. However, the predictive validity for most suicide measures has not been established. The present review only includes suicide assessment instruments with published predictive validity. In addition to evaluating the suicide assessment with respect to predictive validity, the present review describes and summarizes the psychometric properties of each measure. In conclusion, because of the complexity of studying the risk of suicide and the paucity of well-designed studies, it is extremely difficult to compare and generalize these findings. In addition, only a few instruments, such as the Scale for Suicide Ideation, Suicide Intent Scale and the Beck Hopelessness Scale, have been found to be significant risk factors for completed suicide. Another problem in the field involves that there have been few suicide measures designed for elderly populations. Clearly, future research is needed to investigate the predictive validity of standardized measures for completed suicide, especially targeting elderly populations.

• 대한간호학회지
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.652-662
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• 2011

Purpose: The suicide rate of adolescents in Korea is increasing annually. Therefore, this research was done to identify the suicide attempt rate of middle and high school students and to identify factors that influence suicidal attempts. Methods: The Korea Youth Health Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (2007) was used as data. Discriminant analysis and logistic regression were performed to analyze the data depending on gender to consider the gender difference in assessing the influence of each independent variable on suicidal attempts. Results: Discriminant analysis according on gender showed that 13 factors correlated with suicidal attempts for boys, and 20 factors for girls. The most highly correlated factors were smoking, depression and inhalation experience. For inhalation experience, boys had 2.7 times higher possibility of suicide attempts (95% CI 1.8-3.0) and girls, a 2.4 times higher possibility (95% CI 1.7-3.5). Conclusion: The results of the study indicate a need to classify adolescents for expectation of suicide risk and high danger for suicidal attempts through, and introduce suicide prevention programs for these adolescents. In particular, it is necessary to start intervention with students who smoke, have sexual and inhalation experiences and high levels of depression.