Comparison of Suicide Completion Rate in Korean Students Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Pandemics

• 발행기관: 대한신경정신의학회
• 저자명: Kyungjin Lee Boram Nam Kyoil Seo Eunkyung Jo Seohyun Kim Deokyong Shin Aeju Kim Youngil Jeong Yeni Kim
• 간행물 정보: 『Psychiatry Investigation』제22권 제2호, 204~211쪽, 전체 8쪽
• 주제분류: 의약학 > 정신과학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2025.02.17

국문 초록

Objective This study compared the incidence of suicide cases among Korean students before and after the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods Aggregated case reports of all known suicide victims attending elementary, middle, and high school in South Korea from 2017 to 2022 were analyzed. These reports, compiled by teachers under the directive of the South Korean Department of Education, surveyed the circumstances surrounding each suicide and identified associated risk factors posthumously. Results The completed suicide rate was 2.37 per 100,000 students pre-COVID-19 (2017–2019), significantly increasing to 3.37 per 100,000 students post-COVID-19 (2020–2022; odds ratio [OR] 1.42, p<0.001). The rate began to rise approximately 6 months into the pandemic and continued to worsen throughout 2021 and 2022. Fair attendance significantly increased in 2020 (74.83%, p=0.003) during the initial stage of school closure measures compared to 2019 (58.27%) among students prior to suicide completion. However, as social distancing measures continued, “absence due to medical reasons” showed a significant increase in 2022 (23.56%) compared to 2019 (13.67%, p=0.025) and 2020 (9.52%, p<0.001) among these students. Among those who completed suicide, teachers reported increased signs of depression and anxiety posthumously compared to pre-COVID-19 periods. Conclusion The incidence of completed suicide among students was significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 years compared to pre-COVID-19. Attendance records and teachers’ reports indicated a deterioration in mental health among these students before suicide completion, highlighting the need to consider mental health impacts when implementing future quarantine policies.

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INTRODUCTION

METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

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