Young People, the Same Generation but Different Individuals: An Exploratory Study of Factors Influencing Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempts by Men and Women

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide basic data for an effective suicide prevention policy among young people. This study is an exploratory research study conducted to examine the difference between suicidal ideation and suicide attempt according to factors such as socioeconomic characteristics, health characteristics, psychosocial factors, and family factors. A survey was conducted by stratifying 1,012 young people aged 20-39 across the country, and descriptive statistical analysis and logistic regression analysis were performed. The results show that 42.1% of the study subjects had suicidal ideation and 5.6% had attempted suicide. The factors affecting suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were different by gender. Men had a higher risk of suicidal ideation when they had lower levels of education, subjective health status, sleep quality, and family strength (economic stability and cooperation) and higher levels of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. The higher depressive symptoms increased suicidal ideation in women. The factors influencing suicide attempts in men were high income, high depressive symptoms, and low family strength (caring about the community). In the case of women, unemployment, high subjective economic status, high depressive symptoms, and high social trust were influencing factors. For effective suicide prevention policy among young people, it is necessary to subdivide and specify the policy according to the characteristics of those people. In particular, the factors that cause people to respond differently to suicidal ideation and attempt should be closely identified, and it is necessary to understand the distribution of factors influencing gender and the patterns that appear due to differences in sensitivity.