Serious Elderly Suicide Issue... 116 Men in Their 80s per 100,000 [Eoreushin Maeumi-eum]

①Elderly Suicide Rate Ranks First in OECD
Main Causes: Mental Health, Illness, Interpersonal Relationships
Significantly Higher Risk for Elderly Living Alone

Editor's NoteLast year, the suicide rate in South Korea reached 27.33 per 100,000 people, marking the highest level since 2018. Among the OECD countries, South Korea ranks overwhelmingly first in elderly suicide rates. To achieve the government's goal of halving the suicide rate within 10 years, preventive approaches such as early detection of depression and prompt intervention in the elderly are necessary. Asia Economy diagnoses the causes and solutions of elderly suicide in a four-part series.

Last year, the number of people who took their own lives reached the highest point in nine years, bringing the issue of elderly suicide to the forefront as a serious social problem. In particular, the suicide rate among those aged 80 and above exceeds twice the overall average per 100,000 population. There are calls for urgent establishment of tailored suicide prevention measures for the elderly.

An elderly person is taking a walk near an apartment complex in Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City.

◆Male Suicide Rate ‘Overwhelmingly’ Higher than Female

According to the Statistics Korea’s ‘Cause of Death Statistics’ released on the 4th, the number of suicides last year was 13,978, an 8.3% increase from the previous year. The suicide rate per 100,000 people was 27.33, the highest since 2014. By age group, the suicide rates were high among those in their 60s (30.7), 70s (39.0), and 80 and above (59.4). By gender, males overwhelmingly outnumbered females. The suicide rates per 100,000 were 46.6 for males and 29.6 for females in their 60s, 63.9 for males and 18.0 for females in their 70s, and 115.8 for males and 29.6 for females aged 80 and above.

Among actual suicide attempters, 1.7 out of 10 are aged 60 or older. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s ‘2023 Suicide Survey,’ in 2022, 5,406 suicide attempters were aged 60 or older, accounting for 17.6%. The motives for suicide attempts varied by age group. For those in their 60s, mental health issues (28.4%), interpersonal relationships (13.2%), and economic problems (10.3%) were the main reasons. For those in their 70s, mental health issues (28.0%), physical illness (21.4%), and interpersonal relationships (10.5%) were predominant. For those aged 80 and above, physical illness (26.5%), mental health issues (25.8%), and interpersonal relationships (7.1%) were reported.

The elderly often faced psychiatric problems. The percentage reporting they were taking medication was 27.9% for those in their 60s, 23.5% for those in their 70s, and 16.5% for those aged 80 and above. Compared to other age groups, they experienced more physical illnesses. The prevalence of chronic diseases or ongoing disabilities was 35.9% for those in their 60s, 46.9% for those in their 70s, and 48.8% for those aged 80 and above, increasing with age. This data was analyzed from suicide attempters visiting 85 medical institutions participating in an emergency room-based post-management project for suicide attempters.

◆Vulnerable Environments Including Psychological and Social Issues

Living alone elderly have a much higher risk of suicide compared to those living with spouses or children. This is due to their vulnerable environment involving reduced social networks, psychological and social problems such as the death of a spouse or friends. A study conducted in December 2021 on factors influencing suicidal thoughts among the elderly analyzed 10,299 respondents aged 65 and older from the Elderly Survey, comparing 2,563 elderly living alone and 7,736 not living alone.

Among elderly living alone, suicidal thoughts were significantly influenced by subjective health status and the number of chronic diseases in terms of physical and mental health factors. Among those who had suicidal thoughts, 63.8% reported poor health, and 37.0% had five or more chronic diseases, with 3 to 4 chronic diseases also accounting for 37.0%. In terms of family and social factors, frequency of contact with children and experiences of conflict were key. Among respondents with suicidal thoughts, 59.3% reported contacting non-cohabiting children about once or twice every three months, and 17.9% reported conflicts with their children.

Tae-Yeon Hwang, Director of the Korea Life Respect and Hope Foundation, said, "Physical decline due to aging, chronic diseases, and pain make daily life difficult and cause feelings of depression. Social isolation and loneliness are also factors influencing elderly suicide, so strengthening social support systems is important." He emphasized, "Primary medical institutions should provide psychiatric information to elderly patients struggling with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety disorders. Currently, a pilot project linking local clinics with mental care is underway, and such initiatives are social services that consider age-specific characteristics."

※If you or someone around you is struggling with difficult issues such as depression, you can receive expert counseling 24 hours a day by calling the suicide prevention hotline ☎109.