Suicide Trends over Time by Occupation in Korea and Their Relationship to Economic Downturns

Bibliographic Data

ID15515720
AuthorsJ H Yoon (0000-0003-4198-2955, Yonsei University), Sun Jae Jung (0000-0002-5194-7339, Harvard University), Jaesung Choi (0000-0003-4091-2672, Sungkyunkwan University), Mo-Yeol Kang (0000-0002-1682-865X, The Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume16
Issue11
Pages2007-2007
Publication date2019-06-05
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph16112007
PMID31195664
OpenAlexW2948346535
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited2

We analyzed suicide mortality by occupation using administrative data from 1993 to 2016. Methods: National death records from 1993 to 2016 of the Korea National Statistical Office (KNSO) were used. Suicidal death was taken from Korean Classification of Disease codes as intentional self-harm (X60-X84) and sequelae of intentional self-harm (Y870). Occupational groups were categorized into "Manager," "Officer," "Service-Trade," "Agricultural-Fishery-Forestry" (AFF), "Skilled Manual," and "Unskilled Manual." Direct standardized mortality (DSM) and standardized mortality ratio (SMR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated. Overall, suicide rates increased during economic downturns, especially among lower socio-economic occupation classes. Both DSM and SMR were highest in AFF, followed by Unskilled Manual, Service-Trade, Officer, Skilled Manual, and Manager categories among men, whereas women showed the highest DSM and SMR in AFF, followed by Service-Trade, Officer, Unskilled Manual, Manager, and Skilled Manual categories. The age-stratified analysis showed that age groups with increasing trends in suicide differed according to occupation and gender. In certain occupational groups, the time-point prevalence fluctuated with socio-economic background in suicidal mortality and differed by age and gender

Environmental health · Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Sociology · Suicide prevention · Demography · Employment and Welfare Studies · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Medicine · Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Workplace Health and Well-being