Psychiatric and Psychosocial Factors of Suicide Decedents and Survivor of Suicide Loss: Psychological Autopsy Study of Incheon City in South Korea

Mi-Nam Bae, Seo-Eun Cho, Ju-Hyeon Ryu, Mi-Hwa Kim, Hye-Jin Jeon, Eun-Ji Shin, Seon-A Lee, Tae-Yeon Hwang and Seung-Gul Kang
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Mi-Nam Bae: Incheon Metropolitan City Suicide Prevention Center, Incheon 21565, Korea
Seo-Eun Cho: Department of Psychiatry, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21565, Korea
Ju-Hyeon Ryu: Incheon Metropolitan City Suicide Prevention Center, Incheon 21565, Korea
Mi-Hwa Kim: Incheon Metropolitan City Suicide Prevention Center, Incheon 21565, Korea
Hye-Jin Jeon: Incheon Metropolitan City Suicide Prevention Center, Incheon 21565, Korea
Eun-Ji Shin: Korea Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Seoul 04533, Korea
Seon-A Lee: Korea Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Seoul 04533, Korea
Tae-Yeon Hwang: Korea Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Seoul 04533, Korea
Seung-Gul Kang: Incheon Metropolitan City Suicide Prevention Center, Incheon 21565, Korea

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: In South Korea, the suicide rate is more than double the OECD average, and precise identification of the cause is required for suicide prevention. Psychological autopsy is used to reveal factors related to suicidal behavior; however, such studies are lacking in Korea. This study investigated the factors related to suicide using psychological autopsies in Incheon, a major city in Korea. In total, 46 cases were investigated using the Korea-Psychological Autopsy Checklist (K-PAC), and data on mental health conditions and psychosocial factors of suicide decedents and their families were analyzed. It was estimated that 87% of individuals of suicides had a mental health condition before death, but only 15.2% continued treatment or counseling. Most individuals who died of suicide showed warning signs before death, but only 19.6% of survivors of suicide loss noticed them. Mental health concerns before and after the death of the individual were also identified in more than half of their families. To prevent suicide, intensive and continuous treatment for psychiatric conditions and prompt recognition of active response to suicide warning signs are required. Care for the mental health of family members is also important.

Keywords: Korea; psychiatric disorder; psychological autopsy; psychosocial factors; suicide; survivor of suicide loss (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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