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

Abstract

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.

Untitled

“…Suicide by hanging is the most prevalent technique, followed by suicide by gun, fire, or poison according to Younis et al [5]. The current result is different from that of Kim et al (2021), who stated that hanging was the most common method of suicide [38]. The C-SSRS has been found to be a useful tool for measuring suicide risk, capturing more of the suicide risk construct and functioning differentially between and within individuals [39].…”

Co-occurrence of Aggression and Suicide Attempt Among Young People and Related Factors: Findings from Iranian Youth Cohort Study in Ravansar

“…For example, one study found that 84% of people who attempted suicide had symptoms of mental disorders, and 68.3% had symptoms of depression. 12 The results of another study showed that the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders was high in people who attempted suicide. 27 The results of a longitudinal study showed that depression was a significant risk factor for suicide.…”

“…Mortality rates due to suicide are significant in different parts of the world and suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in youths. 12 Suicide is attempted in a variety of ways, and varies according to demographic variables such as gender and age. 13 , 14 On the other hand, suicide attempt is a global phenomenon that is seen in all parts of the world, and in Middle Eastern countries including Iran, it is a threat to public health.…”

“… 17 The results of another study showed that most people who attempted suicide had depressive disorder. 12 As far as we know, many studies have been done on suicidality and the results are sometimes contradictory. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct more studies to determine the reasons for the contradictions.…”

Wird die Rolle von psychischen Erkrankungen beim Suizid überbewertet?

“…Die Arbeitsgruppe um Baldessarini [ 14 ] berechnete einen Letalitätsindex für Suizidversuche und wies darauf hin, dass Menschen mit schweren affektiven Erkrankungen in ihren Suizidversuchen ein letaleres (eher zum Tode führendes) Vorgehen wählen als Menschen ohne psychische Erkrankungen. Es gibt in der Durchführung von Suizidversuchen Unterschiede zwischen psychisch erkrankten Menschen und solchen ohne psychische Erkrankung, wie es offenbar auch bei bestimmten psychischen Erkrankungen manche Suizidmethoden häufiger gibt [ 15 ]. Außerdem bestehen im Verlauf einer psychischen Erkrankung unterschiedliche Risikokonstellationen.…”