Association between Social Integration and Suicidal Ideation among the Elderly in Southwestern Part of Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Background: Late-life Suicide has increased rapidly over the past 20 years and become an important issue for public health in Korea. Hence, understanding of contributing risk and protective factors is priority and there are growing interests in social integration to reduce suicidal ideation. This study examines types of social participation and social network in Korean society and identifies the process through which types of social participation and social networks influence the degree of suicidal ideation across sex. Methods: This study used data from the 2013 Korean Community Health Survey. The sample was limited to adults aged 65 or above residing in 8 communities in Seoul and was categorized into two groups by respondents gender (543 male, 668 female). Questions were asked to evaluate suicidal ideation focusing on social participation,

social networks, socio-demographics, perception variables. Three dimensions of social participation were identified according to the survey – religious involvement, friendship network and leisure activity. Three components of social network were analyzed- family, friends and neighbors. Results: In elderly men, only no friendship network was statistically significant to increase suicidal ideation after adjustments of socio-demographics and perception variables (OR=2.22, 95% CI=1.07, 4.64). The strong association in elderly women exists between suicidal ideation and social network for neighbors and family in positive way after adjustment of socio-demographics. Stress and depression were related to suicidal thoughts in both men and women, whereas marital status was associated with suicidal ideation only in men. Conclusion: This research shows that social integration is a modest independent correlate of suicidal ideation. It is necessary to provide gender-specific social support to prevent suicide.

Keywords: Social participation, Social network, Suicide ideation Student Number: 2012-23731