Social determinants of suicide among the South Korean elderly community

South Korea has the highest suicide rates among the OECD countries and among the Korean population, those 60 years of age and over have the highest suicide rates. Several studies have investigated the link between sociodemographic or socioeconomic factors and mental health among the Korean elderly population. However, there have been limited studies that explore deeper by examining the social determinants of health factors (economic instability, education inaccessibility and quality, health care inaccessibility and quality, and neighborhood and environmental conditions) together about mental health issues, specifically suicidal behaviors, with the intent of improving this population’s quality of life. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the impact of social determinants of suicide among the elderly in South Korean society and determining how it affects their quality of life. Due to the limitations of COVID-19, this study used a mixed methodology approach by analyzing several media articles, academic articles, books, and statistical information that have focused on the elderly population and their (mental) health status.

This study has found that older Korean men who have financial difficulties, live in rural areas, have drinking and smoking problems, have lower educational attainment, and live alone tend to have lower mental and general health literacy, higher depression levels, and higher loneliness levels. Thus, resulting in higher suicide lethality rates and higher suicide completion rates. In terms of suicide methods, they tended to favor hanging as their preferred method of committing suicide, compared to the U.S, where American older white men preferred a gun to complete the act. Based on these findings, this study proposes that the Korean government and families increase their support for the older generation. Increased social support and community involvement have reduced the aging population’s depression and loneliness rates, thus decreasing their suicide ideation and suicide rates. Therefore, it is crucial to have a more aggressive approach in implementing welfare programs, health care programs, and community programs to improve and increase their social interactions, physical exercise, and literacy rates. Also, since suicide prevalence varies significantly among sex, gender, and age-related factors, it is necessary to create programs targeting the elderly in different situations (i.e., marital status, depression levels, geographical location).