Trends and Risk Factors of the Epidemic of Charcoal Burning Suicide in a Recent Decade among Korean People

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science Vol. 29; no. 8; pp. 1174 - 1177
• Main Authors: Ji, Nam-Ju, Hong, Yeon-Pyo, Stack, Steven John, Lee, Weon-Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 01.08.2014; 대한의학회
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brief Communication; Charcoal; Child; Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Mass Media - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Suicide - psychology; Suicide - statistics & numerical data; Suicide - trends; Young Adult; 의학일반; Republic of Korea; Mass Media; Suicide; Charcoal Burning
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2014.29.8.1174

The aims of this study were to analyze annual trends of charcoal burning (CB) suicide, 2000 to 2011, and to examine the risk factors of CB suicide in Korea. Data on suicides (n=138,938) were obtained from the Statistics Korea. The proportion of CB suicides among all suicide deaths reported was 0.7% (84 cases) in 2007, and since 2008 it has rapidly increased to 7.9% (1,251 cases) in 2011. Of significant risk factors of CB suicide, the presence of the media report of Ahn's suicide was the greatest risk factor (adjusted odds ratio, 11.69; 95% CI, 10.30-13.23) of the initial phase of the continuing CB suicides since 2008. Korean Government should urgently consider effective measures against CB suicide, including enforced media regulations on reporting such suicides.