J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2018 Aug;57(3):252-260. 10.4306/jknpa.2018.57.3.252.

A Study on Variables Influencing Acceptability and Perception Towards Suicide among the Elderly in the City of Bucheon

• Lee D
• Lee SI
• Lee J
• Kim SG
• Jung HY

• KMID: 2429230
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2018.57.3.252

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to investigate the variables influencing acceptability and perception towards suicide among the elderly in Bucheon city, South Korea.
METHODS
A total of 1099 elderly over 65 years old participated in this study. The subjects completed a self-questionnaire including their demographic characteristics, psychiatric characteristics, factor 1 and 4 of the Attitudes Towards Suicide-20, and Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form Korea Version. One-way analysis of variance was performed to identify the variables associated with the acceptability and perception towards suicide.
RESULTS
As result of this study, the demographic characteristics (older age, lower education level, lower economic state, bereavement, divorce or separated marital status, and life without spouse) and psychiatric characteristics (psychiatric past history, treatment history, and suicidal attempt history) were found to be associated with a more acceptable attitude toward suicide. In addition, a lower education level, no psychiatric history, and no psychiatric treatment history influenced the lack of perception to suicide.
CONCLUSION
For public services to prevent suicide of the elderly population who lack spontaneity and accessibility to suicidal evaluations, it would be important to focus on the variables identified in this study for enhancing the effectiveness of the services.

Keyword

Suicide ; Acceptability; Aged

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Bereavement
Depression
Divorce
Education
Gyeonggi-do*
Humans
Korea
Marital Status
Suicide*

Reference

1. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Society at a Glance 2016: OECD Social Indicators. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development;2017.

2. Statistics Korea. 2017 Elderly person statistics. Statistics Korea;2017.

3. Min SG, editor. Modern Psychiatry. Seoul: Ilzogak;2015. p. 163–164.

4. Koo CY, Kim JS, Yu J. A study on factors influencing elders' suicidal ideation: focused on comparison of gender differences. J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs. 2014; 25:24–32.

5. Yoon GS. The influence of attitude toward suicide on suicidal ideation and behavior of Korean college students [dissertation]. Jeonju: Jeonju University;2016.

6. Kim SW, Kim SY, Kim JM, Suh TW, Shin IS, Kim SJ, et al. A survey on attitudes toward suicide and suicidal behavior in Korea. J Korean Soc Biol Ther Psychiatry. 2008; 14:43–48.

7. Kodaka M, Postuvan V, Inagaki M, Yamada M. A systematic review of scales that measure attitudes toward suicide. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2010; 57:338–361.

8. Joe S, Romer D, Jamieson PE. Suicide acceptability is related to suicide planning in U.S. adolescents and young adults. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2007; 37:165–178.

9. Lee SJ, Moon SM, Lee JM, Yon KJ. The moderating effects of permissive attitude toward suicide and experience of suicide loss on the relationship between depression and suicidality. Korean J Counseling. 2015; 16:23–43.

10. Segal DL, Mincic MS, Coolidge FL, O'Riley A. Attitudes toward suicide and suicidal risk among younger and older persons. Death Stud. 2004; 28:671–678.

11. Kim Y, Lee SI, Kim H, Lee A, Mun KS, Kim SG, et al. Variables affecting to attitudes towards suicide among general adult population in the city of Bucheon. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2016; 55:376–385.

12. Lee HN, An ST. Korean society's perception toward suicide: “Us” and “Them” represented in a TV documentary. Health Soc Welfare Rev. 2015; 35:309–343.

13. An ST, Lee HN. Perception and attitudes toward suicide: acceptance of negative emotions and suicide literacy. Korean J Soc Welfare Res. 2017; 52:95–117.

14. Renberg ES, Jacobsson L. Development of a questionnaire on attitudes towards suicide (ATTS) and its application in a Swedish population. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2003; 33:52–64.

15. Yesavage JA, Brink TL, Rose TL, Lum O, Huang V, Adey M, et al. Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. J Psychiatr Res. 1982-1983; 17:37–49.

16. Sheikh JI, Yesavage JA. Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): recent evidence and development of a shorter version. Clin Gerontol. 1986; 5:165–173.

17. Kee BS. A preliminary study for the standardization of Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form-Korea Version. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1996; 35:298–307.

18. McAuliffe C, Corcoran P, Keeley HS, Perry IJ. Risk of suicide ideation associated with problem-solving ability and attitudes toward suicidal behavior in university students. Crisis. 2003; 24:160–167.

19. Lee HK, Kim MS, Choi SS, Choi MK. Eco-systematic analysis on the factors related to the Korean elderly suicide ideation. Health Soc Welfare Rev. 2014; 34:430–451.

20. Park JY, Han KW, Jeong H, Jeong HG, Kim TH, Yoon IY, et al. Suicidal behaviors in elderly Koreans: one-month-point prevalence and factors related to suicidality. J Affect Disord. 2013; 150:77–83.

21. Chan HL, Liu CY, Chau YL, Chang CM. Prevalence and association of suicide ideation among Taiwanese elderly--a population-based cross-sectional study. Chang Gung Med J. 2011; 34:197–204.

22. Jung HY, Roh SH. A study on factors influencing elderly suicidal ideation: focused on the mediating effects of depression and stress on suicidal ideation. J Korea Gerontol Soc. 2007; 27:789–805.

23. Park CH, Kim B, Lee SS, Ha K, Baek CJ, Shin MS, et al. A comparative study of permissive attitudes toward suicide: an analysis of cross-national survey in South Korea, Japan, and the United States. Korean J Biol Psychiatry. 2016; 23:157–165.

24. Oh JK, Cho YT, Kim CY. Socio-demographic characteristics of suicides in South Korea. Health Soc Sci. 2005; 18:191–210.

25. Park YS, Lee EH. A study on the recognition path analysis of suicidal ideation of male elderly. Korean Comp Gov Rev. 2013; 17:297–322.

26. Kim SW, Bae KY, Kim JM, Kim SY, Yoo JA, Yang SJ, et al. Psychosocial correlates of attempted suicide and attitudes toward suicide. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2010; 49:367–373.

27. Kim H, Lee A, Lee SI, Kim Y, Jung HY, Kim SG. Risk factors for suicidal ideation in the elderly. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 2015; 54:468–474.

28. Han SS, Yoo WK, Kang SW, Phee YG. A study of the determinants of suicidal ideation among the elderly in Korea. Health Soc Welfare Rev. 2009; 29:192–212.

29. Han SJ. The society that urges suicide, and bio-ethics in christianity. Humanities Rev. 2010; 18:201–238.

30. Cattell H. Suicide in the elderly. Adv Psychiatr Treat. 2000; 6:102–108.

31. An ST, Lee HN. Media guidelines for suicide prevention: content analysis of news stories on depression according to health belief model. Health Soc Welfare Rev. 2016; 36:529–564.

32. Korea Association for Suicide Prevention, National Attitude Survey on Life Respect. Gallup Korea: 2012.

33. Galynker I, Yaseen ZS, Briggs J, Hayashi F. Attitudes of acceptability and lack of condemnation toward suicide may be predictive of postdischarge suicide attempts. BMC Psychiatry. 2015; 15:87.

34. Reynders A, Kerkhof AJ, Molenberghs G, Van Audenhove C. Helpseeking, stigma and attitudes of people with and without a suicidal past. A comparison between a low and a high suicide rate country. J Affect Disord. 2015; 178:5–11.

35. Jeon HJ, Park JH, Shim EJ. Permissive attitude toward suicide and future intent in individuals with and without depression: results from a nationwide survey in Korea. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2013; 201:286–291.

36. Choi CS, Han SY. A study on risk factors of elderly suicide in Korea. Crisisonomy. 2016; 12:67–85.