J Korean Med Assoc.  2011 Apr;54(4):358-361. 10.5124/jkma.2011.54.4.358.

Depression, suicide, and Korean society

Affiliations
  • 1National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency, Seoul, Korea. heo1013@neca.re.kr
  • 2Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Psychiatry, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 4Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 5Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

The number of Korean people who are currently suffering from depressive disorders that require medical treatment is assumed to be more than 2 million. However, only around 15% of those with depressive disorder are actively receiving medical treatment, and this leads to an increasing suicide rate. Hence, the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency held a round-table conference to provide information on depression and suicide and suggested a reasonable policy through comprehensive discussion with experts. The prevalence of depression, which is closely related to suicide rates, is lower in Korea than in the U.S., but the rate of suicide is the highest among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. It is thought that the underestimated prevalence of depression is owing to the inconsistency between the diagnostic criteria of depression and characteristics of depression in Korea. Therefore, it is necessary to develop Korean diagnostic criteria for depression reflecting cultural characteristics and conduct a regular and organized nationwide survey. Moreover, a term related to suicide officially used by Statistics Korea is 'intentional self-injury'. However, in a Korea-based community study, it was found that 60% to 72% of those attempting suicide had mental disorders; thus suicide is not merely an intentional self-injury but a medical condition that should be treated. To reduce suicide, both medical and social approaches are necessary. Furthermore, a strengthening of the public perception that a medical approach is important for suicide prevention is greatly needed. Moreover, it is necessary to prepare an effective national suicide prevention strategy through studies evaluating the suicide prevention policies currently implemented and psychological autopsy of suicide deaths similar to those practiced in Finland.

Keyword

Depression; Suicide; Prevention; Korea

MeSH Terms

Autopsy
Cultural Characteristics
Delivery of Health Care
Depression
Depressive Disorder
Finland
Korea
Prevalence
Stress, Psychological
Suicide

Cited by  1 articles

Association between depression and cardiovascular disease risk in general population of Korea: results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2016
Jinho Song, Tae Hwan Koh, One Park, Daeil Kwon, Seonghoon Kang, Kyeongmin Kwak, Jong-Tae Park
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2019;31(1):.    doi: 10.35371/aoem.2019.31.e10.


Reference

1. World Health Organization. Pharmacological treatment of mental disorders in primary health care. 2009. Geneva: World Health Organization.
2. Jeon HJ, Lee JY, Lee YM, Hong JP, Won SH, Cho SJ, Kim JY, Chang SM, Lee D, Lee HW, Cho MJ. Lifetime prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation, plan, and single and multiple attempts in a Korean nationwide study. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2010. 198:643–646.
Article
3. Cho MJ, Chang SM, Hahm BJ, Chung IW, Bae A, Lee YM, Ahn JH, Won SH, Son J, Hong JP, Bae JN, Lee DW, Cho SJ, Park JI, Lee JY, Kim JY, Jeon HJ, Lee HW. Prevalence and correlates of major mental disorders among Korean adults: a 2006 National Epidemiologic Survey. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2009. 48:143–152.
4. Statistics Korea. Death statistics in 2009. 2010. Daejeon: Statistics Korea.
5. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. OECD health data 2009: statistics and indicators for 30 countries. 2010. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
6. Lee HW, Choi JH, Park YC. Public awareness about depression written in the notes on overcoming the depression. Ment Health Res. 2006. 25:33–39.
7. Chang SM, Hahm BJ, Lee JY, Shin MS, Jeon HJ, Hong JP, Lee HB, Lee DW, Cho MJ. Cross-national difference in the prevalence of depression caused by the diagnostic threshold. J Affect Disord. 2008. 106:159–167.
Article
8. World Health Organization. Suicide prevention (SUPRE). 2009. Geneva: World Health Organization.
9. Ahn JH. A study on relationship between non-pharmacological treatments and adherence to antidepressant pharmacotherapies in Korea. Proceedings of the 1st Round-Table Conference on depression, suicide and Korean society. 2010 Aug 26; Seoul, Korea:
Full Text Links
  • JKMA
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr