J Korean Med Sci.  2024 Jan;39(3):e32. 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e32.

Risk Factors and Trends in Adolescent’s Suicide Attempt Rates Before and After the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

• Jung SI
• Lee SY
• Kim DJ
• Yang CM

• KMID: 2551179
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e32

Abstract

Background
Understanding adolescents’ mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and identifying those most at risk is an urgent public health challenge. This study explored the trend of suicide attempts and the association between loneliness, family financial stress, and suicide attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic among adolescents.
Methods
Data of the 2020 to 2022 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Surveys for adolescents aged 13–18 years were used. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between suicide attempts, family financial stress, and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
The trend of suicide attempt rates was lowest in 2020 (1.9%, 1,034 out of 53,534) and it showed an increasing trend with rates of 2.2% (1,159 out of 53,445) in 2021 and 2.5% (1,271 out of 50,455) in 2022. The risk of suicide attempt was higher among adolescents who experienced financial stress (in 2020: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–1.88; in 2021: AOR, 1.63, 95% CI, 1.03–1.54) and felt lonely (in 2020: AOR, 2.19, 95% CI, 1.78–2.70; in 2021: AOR, 2.65, 95% CI, 2.16–3.26; in 2022: AOR, 1.3, 95% CI, 1.04–1.55) than those who did not.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic affected the suicide attempts of adolescents, with financial stress and feelings of loneliness closely linked to this impact. Although the pandemic nears its end, the persistent risk of suicide attempts among adolescents remains a concern. Therefore, it is imperative to implement targeted screening and interventions to address adolescent suicide risk.

Keyword

COVID-19; Suicide Attempt; Social Isolation; Financial Stress; Mental Health; Adolescent Health

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Suicide attempt rates trends among Korean adolescents from 2005 to 2022. This figure shows the annual suicide attempt rates among adolescents as well as the number of suicide attempts year-wise. The graph provides an overview of the trends and patterns in suicide attempt rates within adolescents over a specific period. The x-axis represents the years, while the y-axis represents the suicide attempt rates (left) and number of suicide attempts (right). The graph aims to highlight notable changes, fluctuations, or patterns in suicide attempt rates among adolescents over time.

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