Korean J Psychosom Med.  2024 Jun;32(1):24-33. 10.22722/KJPM.2024.32.1.24.

The Effect of Community- and Individual-Level Factors on Suicidal Ideation and Attempts: A Multilevel Analysis

• Ha SY
• Kim J
• Park H
• Kim Y

• KMID: 2564515
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22722/KJPM.2024.32.1.24

Abstract

Objectives
：The purpose of this study was to investigate individual- and community-level factors on suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among Korean adults.
Methods
：This study was conducted on 225,965 adults collected through data from the 2021 Community Health Survey and the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). The general characteristics, suicidal behavior (e.g., suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts), and community-level characteristics of the study subjects were analyzed using frequency (%) and mean (standard deviation). The effects on individual- and community-level factors on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models.
Results
：The community-level factor associated with suicidal ideation was unmet health care (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.053, 95% CI=1.035-1.071), and the community-level factor associated with suicide attempt was the aging rate (OR=1.015, 95% CI=1.001-1.030). Regarding health-related variables, the individual-level factors associated with suicidal ideation were stress status (OR=9.388, 95% CI=8.629-10.213), depressive experience in the past year (OR=6.737, 95% CI=6.454-7.032), and the predominantly individual-level factors associated with suicide attempt were also stress status (OR=5.213, 95% CI=3.699-7.347), and depressive experience in the last one year (OR=13.433, 95% CI: 11.247-16.044).
Conclusions
：We confirmed individual-level and community-level factors influencing suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Through these findings, we need to establish suicide prevention policies, considering managing in-dividual-level factors such as stress and depression as well as community-level factors such as unmet health care.

Keyword

Suicidal idea; Suicidal attempt; Community Health Survey; Multi-level analysis