• International journal of advanced smart convergence
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.151-160
• /
• 2019

Korea has the highest suicide rate among the OECD countries, and the suicide rate is highest among young adults in their 20s, most of whom are university students. Therefore, suicide among Korean university students is a public health issue that is of interest to us. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors affecting the suicidal ideation of university students in Korea, and to use them as a basis to establish effective intervention for university suicide prevention through it. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study using convenience sampling method. The participants were 344 university students at universities in S and G cities. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis using with the SPSS/Win 23.0 program. There was a significant correlation between depression (r=.45, p<.001), drinking alcohol (r=.14, p=.008), social support (r=-.26, p<.001), quality of life (r=-.46, p<.001), and suicidal ideation. In the first step of hierarchical regression analysis, satisfaction of school life (${\beta}=.198$, p<.001) was the significant factor influencing the suicidal ideation. Explanatory power was 25.2%. In the second step of the hierarchical regression analysis, absence of parents (${\beta}=-.095$, p=.044), depression (${\beta}=.247$, p<.001), quality of life (${\beta}=-.280$, p<.001), and explanatory power were increased to 42.0%. The results of the study indicate the need to actively identify the group of university students in their 20s with high risk of suicide through continuous evaluation of depression, and to improve the quality of life as a method of preventing suicide. In addition, the effect of absence of parents on the suicidal ideation among Korean university students suggests that parental support may play an important role in suicide prevention.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.13-21
• /
• 2023

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze correlations among searches of hwa-byung, depression, and suicide using big data. Methods: Keywords searches were performed using both Google Trends and Naver Data Lab on December 13, 2022. From 2016 to 2022, search results for keywords 'hwa-byung', 'depression', and 'suicide' were extracted with a score between 0 and 100 in terms of relative search popularity (RSP). Monthly time analysis, correlation analysis, and regional analysis were then conducted for these scores. Results: Regardless of the search period, RSP for both portal sites was in the order of 'suicide', 'depression', and 'hwa-byung'. Over time, search for 'depression' tended to increase in Google (slope: 0.0092), whereas search for 'hwa-byung' showed a slight increase in Naver (slope: 0.0024). Correlation coefficient for search terms 'depression' and 'suicide' was 0.3969 in Google Trends and 0.4459 in Naver Data Lab, showing clear positive correlations. On the other hand, there was little correlation between search results of 'hwa-byung' and 'depression' or between 'hwa-byung' and 'suicide'. However, compared to males, females showed higher positive associations between search results of 'hwa-byung' and 'depression' and between 'hwa-byung' and 'suicide'. Search terms 'depression' and 'suicide' showed high RSPs in most regions in South Korea. However, 'hwa-byung' had distinct regional differences in terms of RSP. Conclusions: Results of this study will help us understand Korean public's perception of the relevance of hwa-byung, depression, and suicide and plan future research in this topic. In addition, findings of this study may provide future public health implications for reducing the high suicide rate in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.67-79
• /
• 2020

The purpose of the study were to analyze the patterns of adolescent suicide attempts, and to explore the effects of personal psychology (subjective depression, subjective stress), health status (BMI, subjective health perception), and subjective academic performance on the types of youth suicide attempts. For this research, data of 'The 15th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey' were analyzed employing a hierarchical logistic regression analysis. The findings are as follows. First, out of 1,731 youth suicide attempts 156 (9%) were impulsive and 1,575 (91%) were planned. Girls(67.3%) attempted suicide more than boys (32.5%), and middle school students (62%) attempted suicide more than high school students (38%). Second, the variables that significantly affect suicide attempt types were subjective depression, subjective stress, and subjective health perception, after controlling for gender, grade level, school type, and SES. The rate of planned suicide attempts was higher among those who experienced depression than among those who did not. In the case of subjective stress, adolescents who felt stressed were likely to commit planned suicide attempts. Those who attempted impulsive suicide showed 1.32 times higher subjective health perception scores than those who attempted planned suicide, indicating adolescents who perceived they were not healthy were more likely to attempt planned suicide. BMI and subjective academic performance did not have a significant effect on the types of youth suicide attempts. These findings suggested the necessity of systematic intervention in Home Economics classes or extra-curricular programs, to prevent potential youth suicide attempts.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.276-288
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The rate of suicide is rising most rapidly among high school students. Teenage suicide is no longer just a personal problem. This study investigated and classified high school students concerning in South Korea with an aim of identifying suicidal ideation and types of teenage suicide. Method: A Q-methodology was used to identify factors in suicidal attitude of high school students. A Q-sample was collected from in-depth and objective interviews and literature reviews. A P-sample consisted of 37 high school students : selected Q-samples were sorted on a 9-point scale. Results: Three types of suicidal attitudes were evident among high school students : abomination(Type 1), understanding of the situation (type 2), and social responsibility(type 3). Conclusion: Precautionary measures against high school students suicide should be formulated according to the types of attitudes toward suicide in south Korea.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
• /
• v.35 no.8
• /
• pp.57-64
• /
• 2019

This study attempts to analyse the effects of high-rise living on suicide rates. All the apartments in the City A and every suicide were examined in detail. Research methods are as follows. First, a database including tenure type and number of residents in all apartment complexes was created. Second, apartments were categorized into two income groups of private apartments and social housing, and spatial configuration characteristics of a typical apartment were analysed. Third, differences in suicide rates were analysed for lower and upper levels in both apartment categories. Finally, the relationship between high and lower levels of apartments with their spatial configuration characteristics and suicide rates was compared. The analysis shows significant differences between lower and upper floors living residents' suicide rates. It can be stated that the low-income residents are more sensitive to living in high-rise environment. Also, it suggests the need to improve the high-rise living environment of vulnerable social groups. In addition, spatial integration decrease in upper floors of high-rise buildings, and it can be interpreted that spatial configuration may affect residents' pathological disorders or even suicidal behaviors.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.264-268
• /
• 2017

South Korea has the highest reported suicide rate among all countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Nitrogen is a colorless, odorless and nontoxic gas. Nitrogen gas has, however, been recently used as a method of attempted suicide, its nontoxity notwithstanding. We herein report on an unusual case involving a 30-year-old male who presented with symptoms after a suicide attempt by nitrogen inhalation. Diffusion-weighted imaging of his brain was showed curvilinear high signal intensity in the bilateral frontal and right occipital cortices, with subtle low apparent diffusion coefficient value. In addition, T2-weighted images and fluid attenuated inversion recovery images revealed subtle high signal intensity in the bilateral frontal cortices, basal ganglia and occipital cortices with contrast enhancement.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
• /
• v.67 no.1
• /
• pp.55-81
• /
• 2015

With the psychological autopsy, an analytical method of backward reasoning for individual case of suicide, this study aims to investigate the causes and route of individual suicides in Korean rural areas, which has long had a bad reputation of world-wide high rate of suicide. The compound approach of the study which combines the psychological and socio-cultural aspects concerning suicide simultaneously, is able to make this study clearly distinguished from existing related inquires and results. Analysis of 25 suicide cases could make clear the typical characters of risky group of suicide in rural area and elucidate the obvious socio-cultural impact on suicide respective of several suicide type, for example, male and female elderly, homecoming youth etc. Then, the psycho-social interactive model to account for rural area suicide adequately could be established as a final result of the study. In addition, based on the findings of the study, several counter-plans to prevent the suicide-committing of the risky groups are suggested in short-term and long-term bases as well.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.125-131
• /
• 2005

Injury has recently become a major world-wide health problem. Injury related deaths occur in many actively working young people and produce major social and economical losses. However health related specialists do not recognize the importance of injury and there have not been many studies related to this problem. This research studied the trends of injury related research in Korea, mortality rate and prevalence rate, socio-economical losses and control in Korea and out of the country, based on literature from Korea and without such as statistical yearly reports on causes of deaths and OECD health reports, as well as WHO web sites. Studies in Korea about injury were very few, with 9 in the 1960's, 5 in the 1980's, 4 in the 1990's and 5 in 2000's. Mortality rate of injury was higher in Korea than in England, USA or Japan, especially in car accidents, suicide and falls. In Korea, the yearly trends in mortality rates were highest in car accidents but those rates are falling, suicide is steadily rising, with highest rate in 2003. Falls is in second rank with no change in rates. In 2003, the ten causes of death in Korea were suicide in 5th rank, transport accidents in 7th rank, and falls in 10th rank. Considering age groups, in the teens, transport accidents were 1st rank, in the 20's and 30's, suicide was 1st rank, and although there were some differences, falls, drowning, assault, fire were in the top 10. Prevalence rates of injury could not be known, but in 2001, according to the National Health and Nutrition Survey, lifelong injury was 10%, and yearly major injury was 1.3%, major injury for two weeks was 0.1%, and minor injury was 10%. In other foreign countries, injury has become to be recognized as a major health related problem, and much programs are being set up to reduce injury related deaths and injuries. WHO is putting much effort in prevention of violence and transport accidents, and in the USA, Canada and Europe, there are injury surveillance systems. Recently, as suicide is increasing rapidly and providing much problems, each country are managing suicide prevention programs. In Korea, Ministry of Construction and Transportation is managing and guiding the policies for prevention of transport accidents. In September of 2004, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has set up a 5 year plan of suicide prevention.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.28-37
• /
• 2015

Objectives: Among the Korean elderly (those 65 years of age and older), the suicide rate is 80.3/100 000 people, which is ten times higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average. Because South Korea is rapidly becoming an aging population, this high elderly suicidal rate will only get worse. Although the size of the elderly suicide problem is quite large, previous research in South Korea has surveyed restricted areas and not the entire country. Even though the factors that affect elderly suicide are complicated, there has been little research into these influencing factors. Thus, this research uses the national survey data (Community Health Survey) that was obtained in 2009. Additionally, we analyze factors affecting elderly suicidal ideation and attempts as well as the paths of these effects. Methods: Community Health Survey data obtained by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009 was used for this study. We additionally examined the factors that affect suicide with chi-squared tests, t-tests, Pearson's correlation test, and path analysis. Results: Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation are the only factors that directly affect suicidal attempts. Demographic, behavioral, and physical activity factors have indirect effects on suicidal attempts. Conclusions: Depression has the strongest influence on suicidal ideation and attempts. Demographic, behavioral, and physical activity factors affect suicidal attempts mostly through depressive symptoms. In addition, there is a path that suggests that demographic, behavioral, and physical activity factors affect suicidal attempts not through depression symptoms but only through suicidal ideation. This means that the elderly who do not have depression symptoms attempt suicide according to their own situations and characteristics.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The study aimed to analyze the effects of household financial difficulties caused by COVID-19 (2019 coronavirus disease) on suicidal tendencies of adolescents. Methods: We selected 54,948 middle and high school students who were surveyed based on the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey 2020. To analyze the data, we used the STATA 16.0 program to conduct propensity score matching (PSM). Results: After controlling for selection effects by using PSM, the household financial difficulties caused by COVID-19 maintained a significant predictive effect on increasing suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and decreasing tendency in hospital-treated after suicide attempts. However, depressive symptoms and suicide plan did not show a significant correlation with household financial difficulties associated with COVID-19. Conclusions: It was found that the rate of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents who experienced a household financial difficulties due to COVID-19. Therefore, It can provide empirical evidence for estimating the impact of COVID-19 on adolescent suicide rates.