Psychosocial characteristics of suicide deaths by regional types in Korea: An analysis based on population inflow and outflow.

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the psychosocial characteristics of suicide deaths in Korea according to population inflow and outflow, and to identify high-risk suicide groups by regional type in order to establish tailored suicide prevention plans for each region.
Methods: The analysis included 4193 suicide deaths from four regional types in Korea. The data source was a comprehensive survey of suicide deaths through police investigation records from the Korean government. The analysis involved collecting demographic variables, suicide-related variables, and stress variables at the time of death for suicide deaths in each region and conducting cross-analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis.
Results: Across all regions, factors such as male gender, unemployment, hanging in one's own home, and mental health problems were prevalent. However, in population-inflow urban areas, early-middle age and economic problems were higher, in population-outflow urban areas, late-middle age and economic problems were more prominent. Additionally, in both inflow and outflow rural areas, there was a relatively higher proportion of old age and physical health problems.
Conclusions: This study is significant for confirming common and specific factors influencing suicide in each region, and for proposing considerations when formulating tailored suicide prevention plans for local communities.
(© 2024 The Author(s). Suicide and Life‐Threatening Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Suicidology.)