Health Policy Manag.  2024 Mar;34(1):59-67. 10.4332/KJHPA.2024.34.1.59.

Association between Socioeconomic Deprivation and Suicidal Ideation in Korean Adults: Differences by Subjective Health Status and Gender

• Kim K
• Nam JY
• Jung S
• Lee GH

• KMID: 2562563
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2024.34.1.59

Abstract

Background
Korea’s recent suicide problem has been the most serious in the world. This study was conducted to identify factors related to suicidal ideation of Korean adults and to identify the association with socioeconomic deprivation.
Methods
The 17th Korea Welfare Panel Study (2022) raw data was used, and 10,065 adults aged 20 years or older who responded to all major questions were selected as subjects for the study. SAS ver. 9.4 program (SAS Institute Inc., USA) was used for data analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between socioeconomic deprivation and suicidal ideation. Stratified analysis was performed to confirm the difference by subjective health status and gender.
Results
For every 1 unit increased in socioeconomic deprivation, suicidal ideation increased 1.5 times (odds ratio [OR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37–1.61). People with good subjective health status showed 1.3 times higher suicidal ideation (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.12–1.52) for each unit increased in socioeconomic deprivation, and those with poor subjective health status showed 1.6 times higher (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.43–1.75).
Conclusion
As socioeconomic deprivation increased, suicidal ideation increased. Therefore, policy measures should be prepared to improve the level of more multidimensional deprivation and subjective health status in order to lower the suicide rate of Korean adults.

Keyword

Socioeconomic deprivation; Suicidal ideation; Subjective health