Gender difference in socioeconomic factors affecting suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts among community-dwelling elderly: based on the Korea Community Health Survey.

Jin-Young Jeong

doi:10.4178/epih.e2020052

Abstract

OBJECTIVESThis study was performed to explore socioeconomic factors associated with suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts among the local community’s resident elderly.METHODSThe subjects included 129,277 participants aged 65 years or above of the Korea Community Health Survey conducted in 2013 and 2017. Based on the questions for suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts, the subjects were divided into a no suicidal ideation group (n=111,344), a suicidal ideation group (n=17,487), and a suicidal attempt group (n=446). All analyses were stratified by gender, and a complex sample logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze associated factors. SAS version 9.4 was used for all analyses with a significance level of 0.05.RESULTSCommon factors associated with suicidal ideation in both genders included marital status, frequency of contact with friends, social activity, and average monthly household income. Economic activity was demonstrated as relevant only to the elderly men subjects. According to the analysis, factors associated with suicidal attempts were the recipients of the National Basic Living Security Act for the elderly men compared to age, frequency of contact with family, frequency of contact with friends, and average monthly household income for the elderly women.CONCLUSIONSThe study revealed that socioeconomic factors leading to suicidal ideation were similar in the elderly of both genders, while a difference was demonstrated for factors associated with suicidal attempts between the elderly of both genders. It is expected that the results of this study may be used as the basis for screening the local community’s elderly with a high suicidal risk, and in the development of suicide prevention services.

Highlights

Participants answered either “yes” or “no” to the following questions for suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt, respectively: “Have you wanted to commit suicide in the last one year?” and “Have you attempted committing suicide in the last one year?” Since the objective of this study is to identify the factors affecting suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt, the participants were divided into a no-suicidal-ideation group (n = 111,344), a suicidal ideation group (n = 17,487), and a suicidal attempt group (n = 446) based on their responses to the questions on suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt
No unusual trends in the rate of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt were found across all ages for men, while the rate of suicidal attempt was lower for women aged ≥ 75 years compared to those aged 65-74 years
The high rate of suicidal attempt among the young elderly has been attributed to the increase in the risk of suicide among the young elderly who have just been categorized as being elderly, and there is a possibility that the rate of suicidal attempt among the elderly aged ≥ 75 years was underestimated since older individuals tend to avoid talking about suicide [19]

Summary

Introduction

The incidence of suicidal deaths among the Korean elderly was 48.6 cases per 100,000 population in 2018 and has been steadily decreasing since peaking at 81.9 cases per 100,000 population in 2010 [1]. One in four people who die by suicide is an elderly, and the incidence of suicidal deaths among the elderly is 1.8 times higher than that among the entire Korean population at 26.6 cases per 100,000 population. Korea has fully transitioned into an aged society with the elderly accounting for over 14% of the entire Korean population in 2018 [2]. To identify high-risk groups, provide interventions, and obtain generalized results based on monitoring, a large-scale quantitative study involving a general population group is necessary

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