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International Journal of Public Health
Published in: International Journal of Public Health 8/2015

01-12-2015 | Original Article

Deprivation and suicide mortality across 424 neighborhoods in Seoul, South Korea: a Bayesian spatial analysis

Authors: Tae-Ho Yoon, Maengseok Noh, Junhee Han, Kyunghee Jung-Choi, Young-Ho Khang

Published in: International Journal of Public Health | Issue 8/2015

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Abstract

Objectives

A neighborhood-level analysis of mortality from suicide would be informative in developing targeted approaches to reducing suicide. This study aims to examine the association of community characteristics with suicide in the 424 neighborhoods of Seoul, South Korea.

Methods

Neighborhood-level mortality and population data (2005–2011) were obtained to calculate age-standardized suicide rates. Eight community characteristics and their associated deprivation index were employed as determinants of suicide rates. The Bayesian hierarchical model with mixed effects for neighborhoods was used to fit age-standardized suicide rates and other covariates with consideration of spatial correlations.

Results

Suicide rates for 424 neighborhoods were between 7.32 and 71.09 per 100,000. Ninety-nine percent of 424 neighborhoods recorded greater suicide rates than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries’ average. A stepwise relationship between area deprivation and suicide was found. Neighborhood-level indicators for lack of social support (residents living alone and the divorced or separated) and socioeconomic disadvantages (low educational attainment) were positively associated with suicide mortality after controlling for other covariates.

Conclusions

Finding from this study could be used to identify priority areas and to develop community-based programs for preventing suicide in Seoul, South Korea.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Deprivation and suicide mortality across 424 neighborhoods in Seoul, South Korea: a Bayesian spatial analysis
Authors
Tae-Ho Yoon
Maengseok Noh
Junhee Han
Kyunghee Jung-Choi
Young-Ho Khang
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Published in
International Journal of Public Health / Issue 8/2015
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Electronic ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0694-7

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