Design and Methods of the Korean National Investigations of 70,000 Suicide Victims Through Police Records (The KNIGHTS Study)

Suicide & Life Threat Behav

Lee³

et al. 2021

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Objective: Early recognition of a high-risk group impending suicide is important. We aimed to compare warning signs depending on the nature of the psychiatric disorder and whether it was a documented diagnosis. Methods: Data of suicide decedents were collected from police records from 2013 to 2017. We evaluate psychiatric symptoms and warning signs in three aspects (language, behavior, and affect) using the Korea-Psychological Autopsy Checklist for Police Records (K-PAC-PR). Results: A total of 13,265 suicide decedents were recruited for this study. Of them, 66.9% of females and 46.7% of males diagnosed psychiatric disorders, with depressive disorder being the most common one. Warning signs were observed in 93.0% of suicide decedents. They were observed more in those who were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, especially in those with a depressive disorder. "Talking about dying or suicide" was the most common warning sign in all groups, and "apathetic behavior" was the most related warning sign for depressive disorder. Especially for "talking about dying or suicide," the proportion of observed "within a week" was high, making it valuable as a warning sign. Conclusion: Warning signs were commonly found in suicide decedents regardless of gender. They were more common among the decedents diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, especially among those with a depressive disorder.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Data will be released next year. A detailed description of the KNIGHTS study design and data profile has been published previously as a separate paper (Na et al, 2019). This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Samsung Medical Center (SMC 2020-01-010).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing warning signs of suicide between suicide decedents with depression and those non‐diagnosed psychiatric disorders

Suicide & Life Threat Behav

Lee³

et al. 2021

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“…The study used data from the Korea National Investigation of Suicide Victims Study (the KNIGHTS study) conducted by the Korea Psychological Autopsy Center (KPAC), an affiliate of the Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare (Na et al, 2019). The KNIGHTS study aimed to establish evidence‐based suicide prevention policies in South Korea by investigating all cases of suicide officially recorded in police investigation records from 2013 to 2017 in South Korea.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Korea Psychological Autopsy Checklist for Police Records (K‐PAC 1.0) (Na et al, 2019), which was developed to identify the causes of death of suicide decedents, was used to collect information on the suicide decedents. The K‐PAC 1.0 consists of four parts (1) demographic information, (2) suicide‐related information, (3) information on the suicide causes, and (4) warning signs.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological autopsy study comparing suicide decedents with and without a history of suicide attempts in a nationwide sample of South Korea

Yook

Suicide & Life Threat Behav

et al. 2021

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The majority of suicide decedents die on their initial attempt. To bring attention to suicide decedents without a suicide attempt history, the current study explored their demographic, clinical, and suicide-related characteristics. The data were derived from the Korea National Investigation of Suicide Victims Study, which assessed all suicide cases from 2013 to 2017 recorded in police investigation reports. We compared suicide decedents with and without a history of nonfatal attempts using the Korea Psychological Autopsy Checklist for Police Records (K-PAC). Out of 5228 cases included in our study, 3147 (60.2%) died on their first suicide attempt. Demographically, those who were male, older than 65, employed, and married/widowed were more likely to die on their initial attempt. Clinically, those who died on their initial attempt were more likely to have never been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, whereas those who died on a repeated attempt were more likely to have been diagnosed with mood disorders. In terms of suicide-related factors, experiencing relationship problems and complaining about physical discomfort were associated with dying on an initial attempt. Depressed affect, self-harming behaviors, and talking about suicide or death were associated with repeated attempts.

“…This study used data from the Korean National Investigations of Suicide Victims (the KNIGHTS study) conducted by the Korea Psychological Autopsy Center (KPAC) ( 21 ). The KNIGHTS study was conducted by examining police investigation reports of people who died by suicide from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictive Factors Associated With Methods of Suicide: The Korean National Investigations of Suicide Victims (The KNIGHTS Study)

Kim²,

Lee³

et al. 2021

Front. Psychiatry

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Background: Because the suicide mortality depends on the lethality of suicide methods, the identification and prediction of suicide methods are important for suicide prevention.Methods: Examination data of suicide decedents were collected based on police reports. Suicide decedents were divided into groups according to the suicide methods (hanging, gas poisoning, pesticide poisoning, jumping, drug poisoning, and drowning) they used. Predictive factors for each suicide method in comparison to other suicide methods were identified.Results: Among 23,647 subjects, hanging was the most common method of suicide. Regarding gas poisoning, the history of previous suicide attempt was a risk factor and being age of 65 or older was a protective factor. Being age of 65 or older showed a highly strong association with suicide by pesticide poisoning. Being age of 18 or younger and the presence of schizophrenia were associated with jumping. A history of psychiatric outpatient treatment was a risk factor for drug poisoning. Regarding suicide by drowning, schizophrenia was a risk factor, while being age of 65 or older was a protective factor.Limitations: Only eight out of a total of 17 regions in South Korea were examined and included in the data of this study. Also, the methods of suicide were defined as one method that directly caused the death, which could undermine other less fatal methods used.Conclusions: There were differences in predictive factors according to the method of suicide. Predicting the method of suicide in people at high risk for suicide stands to be an important strategy for suicide prevention in clinical settings.