Profiles of suicide reasons and their associations with suicide-related behaviour in South Korea

Minjae Choi; Joshua Kirabo Sempungu; Joon Hee Han; Eun Hae Lee; Mi-Hyui Kim; Shu-Sen Chang; Myung Ki; Yo Han Lee

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.119605

Profiles of suicide reasons and their associations with suicide-related behaviour in South Korea

J Affect Disord. 2025 Jun 4:388:119605. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119605. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Minjae Choi¹, Joshua Kirabo Sempungu², Joon Hee Han³, Eun Hae Lee², Mi-Hyui Kim², Shu-Sen Chang⁴, Myung Ki⁵, Yo Han Lee⁶

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Future Public Health, Graduate School of Public Health, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
² Program in Public Health, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
³ Program in Public Health, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea; Program in Korean Unification Studies, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
⁴ Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Global Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Population Health Research Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Psychiatric Research Center, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; BK21FOUR R&E Center for Learning Health Systems, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea.
⁶ Department of Preventive Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address: vionic@korea.ac.kr.

PMID: 40480380
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119605

Abstract

Background: This study aims to classify suicide decedents in South Korea into distinct groups based on their reasons for suicide and examine differences in suicide-related behaviours.

Methods: Data from a Korean suicide decedent investigation involving 102,593 individuals (2013-2020) were analysed. A latent class analysis was used to identify distinct subgroups based on eight suicide reasons (diagnosed mental illness, mental illness symptoms, physical disability, physical illness, interpersonal problems, family-related problems, economic problems, and work-related problems). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine associations between suicide-related behaviours and the latent classes.

Results: Four distinct classes with varying patterns of suicide reasons were identified. Class 1 (18.9 %) was marked by mental health concerns, with nearly all individuals diagnosed with mental illness. Individuals in Class 1 had more previous suicide attempts. Class 2 (17.0 %) was characterised by physical health issues, with 100 % having physical illnesses and 56.0 % showing mental illness symptoms. Class 3 decedents (41.6 %) faced economic and social challenges, including economic and work-related difficulties, along with symptoms of mental illness in all decedents. In Class 4 (22.5 %), decedents also experienced economic and work-related issues, but no mental illness symptoms. Both Classes 3 and 4 were more likely to engage in alcohol use, leave suicide notes, and use gas poisoning. Class 4, particularly, showed less suicide intent disclosure but greater involvement in suicide pacts.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need for multifaceted prevention strategies, including whole-society engagement within and beyond health sectors, to address the complex interactions of multiple factors.

Keywords: Latent class analysis; South Korea; Suicide; Suicide behaviour; Suicide reason.