作者包含：

Chien-Yu Lin, Minjae Choi, Yo Han Lee, Myung, Chia-Yueh Hsu,  Shu-Sen Chang (本所教師張書森教授及通訊作者)

發表日期：2024.10.01

ASPPH文章：Factors Associated with Reduced Suicide in Taiwan and South Korea During COVID-19 Outbreaks

期刊名稱：Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences

發表文章：

Exploring possible causes of lower-than-expected suicide rates in Taiwan and South Korea during the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic: a time trend analysis by sex, age, and method

摘要/Abstract

COVID-19 疫情期間台灣與南韓自殺率下降的相關因素

本篇論文由台韓學者合作，探討了 COVID-19 疫情期間（2020-2021年），台灣與南韓的自殺率的下降與相關因素。本研究分析兩國的死亡資料，涵蓋2015至2021年的台灣和2017至2021年的南韓。結果顯示，疫情爆發期間兩國的自殺人數低於預期，尤其是台灣的25-64歲及南韓的45-64歲人口，同時氣體自殺的人數顯著減少，在防疫措施最嚴格時降幅最大，可能是源自疫情爆發期間居家時間增加與自殺工具的可及性下降。

摘要/Abstract

AimsAims

Decreases in suicide rates during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were found in several countries, including Taiwan and South Korea. We investigated the pattern of the reduction in suicide by sex, age, method, and outbreak period in the two countries.

Methods

Suicide data for Taiwan (2015–2021) and South Korea (2017–2021) stratified by sex, age, method, and month were extracted from national mortality data files in the two countries. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate suicide rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals across outbreak and inter-outbreak periods during the pandemic, relative to that expected based on pre-pandemic trends, and their associations with economic and outbreak control stringency indicators.

Results

There were fewer-than-expected suicides in Taiwan (7%–16% fewer suicides over outbreaks and inter-outbreaks) and South Korea (17% fewer suicides in outbreaks III and IV). Fewer-than-expected suicides were found primarily in the working-age populations aged 25 to 64 years in Taiwan and those aged 45 to 64 years in South Korea. In both countries, fewer-than-expected suicides by charcoal burning during the pandemic were consistently found; the greatest reduction occurred when the outbreak control measures were most restricted. Increased time at residence was associated with decreased suicide rates in South Korea.

Conclusion

Taiwan and South Korea showed reduced suicide rates during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020–2021. Potential reasons for the decrease in suicides may include reduced access to suicide means during outbreaks in the two countries.