National Trends in Sadness, Suicidality, and COVID-19 Pandemic–Related Risk Factors Among South Korean Adolescents From 2005 to 2021

Key Points Question How has the long-term trend of suicidality among Korean youths changed during the COVID-19 pandemic? Findings In this nationwide serial cross-sectional survey study from 2005 to 2021 of 1 109 776 Korean adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, the slope of the long-term trends in suicidality decreased in the prepandemic period (from 23.0% in 2005-2007 to 12.3% in 2016-2019), whereas the slope increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (from 10.7% in 2020 to 12.5% in 2021). The risk factors for suicidality during the pandemic were younger age, female sex, urban residence, smoking, current alcohol use, and low economic status. Meaning These results can help improve the understanding of suicidality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[1]  R. Neimeyer,et al.  Psychological Factors Explaining the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Mental Health: The Role of Meaning, Beliefs, and Perceptions of Vulnerability and Mortality , 2023, Behavioral sciences.

[2]  Ho Kim,et al.  Excess suicide attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic and social disparities in South Korea , 2022, Scientific Reports.

[3]  M. Sohn,et al.  How to cope with emerging viral diseases: lessons from South Korea's strategy for COVID-19, and collateral damage to cardiometabolic health , 2022, The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific.

[4]  Moon-Soo Lee,et al.  Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Korean Adolescents' Mental Health and Lifestyle Factors , 2022, Journal of Adolescent Health.

[5]  Y. Shin,et al.  Trends in body mass index changes among Korean adolescents between 2005-2020, including the COVID-19 pandemic period: a national representative survey of one million adolescents. , 2022, European review for medical and pharmacological sciences.

[6]  E. Sorbring,et al.  Adolescent smoking, alcohol use, inebriation, and use of narcotics during the Covid-19 pandemic , 2022, BMC psychology.

[7]  S. Lee.  Regression analysis for continuous independent variables in medical research: statistical standard and guideline of Life Cycle Committee , 2022, Life Cycle.

[8]  F. Ibrahim,et al.  Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: a systematic review , 2021, BMC Public Health.

[9]  S. Curtin,et al.  Provisional numbers and rates of suicide by month and demographic characteristics: United States, 2020 , 2021 .

[10]  M. Daly.  Prevalence of Depression Among Adolescents in the U.S. From 2009 to 2019: Analysis of Trends by Sex, Race/Ethnicity, and Income. , 2021, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

[11]  U. Ekelund,et al.  Physical activity and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe COVID-19 illness and COVID-19 related mortality in South Korea: a nationwide cohort study , 2021, British Journal of Sports Medicine.

[12]  Victor Zhong,et al.  Trends in Prevalence of Diabetes and Control of Risk Factors in Diabetes Among US Adults, 1999-2018. , 2021, JAMA.

[13]  Daniel C. Ehlman,et al.  Emergency Department Visits for Suspected Suicide Attempts Among Persons Aged 12–25 Years Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, January 2019–May 2021 , 2021, MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report.

[14]  D. Palao,et al.  Is the COVID-19 pandemic a risk factor for suicide attempts in adolescent girls? , 2021, Journal of Affective Disorders.

[15]  Francisco Javier Pedroza-Cabrera,et al.  Psychosocial Correlates of Suicidal Behavior among Adolescents under Confinement Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Aguascalientes, Mexico: A Cross-Sectional Population Survey , 2021, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[16]  Olivia J. Kirtley,et al.  Suicide trends in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time-series analysis of preliminary data from 21 countries , 2021, The Lancet Psychiatry.

[17]  T. Schwartz,et al.  AAPOR Reporting Guidelines for Survey Studies. , 2021, JAMA surgery.

[18]  Wesley G. Jennings,et al.  Domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic - Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis , 2021, Journal of Criminal Justice.

[19]  Y. Ahn,et al.  Association between mental illness and COVID-19 in South Korea: a post-hoc analysis , 2021, The Lancet Psychiatry.

[20]  Thomas O. Mitchell,et al.  State-Level Data on Suicide Mortality During COVID-19 Quarantine: Early Evidence of a Disproportionate Impact on Racial Minorities , 2020, Psychiatry Research.

[21]  M. Vallejo,et al.  Psychological Wellbeing of Vulnerable Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic. , 2020, Psicothema.

[22]  V. Holeva,et al.  Assessing test anxiety and resilience among Greek adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic , 2020 .

[23]  Y. Ahn,et al.  Association between mental illness and COVID-19 susceptibility and clinical outcomes in South Korea: a nationwide cohort study , 2020, The Lancet Psychiatry.

[24]  W. Hao,et al.  Internet Addiction and Related Psychological Factors Among Children and Adolescents in China During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Epidemic , 2020, Frontiers in Psychiatry.

[25]  F. Tao,et al.  Assessment of Mental Health of Chinese Primary School Students Before and After School Closing and Opening During the COVID-19 Pandemic , 2020, JAMA network open.

[26]  Maayan Shorer,et al.  Young children’s emotional stress reactions during the COVID-19 outbreak and their associations with parental emotion regulation and parental playfulness , 2020, Early Child Development and Care.

[27]  Anna Gassman‐Pines,et al.  COVID-19 and Parent-Child Psychological Well-being , 2020, Pediatrics.

[28]  Xiaomei Li,et al.  The Effect of Social Support on Mental Health in Chinese Adolescents During the Outbreak of COVID-19 , 2020, Journal of Adolescent Health.

[29]  S. Nilsson,et al.  Children’s Anxiety and Factors Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study Using the Children’s Anxiety Questionnaire and the Numerical Rating Scale , 2020, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[30]  S. Yeasmin,et al.  Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of children in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study , 2020, Children and Youth Services Review.

[31]  Gang Wang,et al.  Prevalence of depression and its correlative factors among female adolescents in China during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak , 2020, Globalization and Health.

[32]  K. Kim,et al.  Investigation of the Trend in Adolescent Mental Health and its Related Social Factors: A Multi-Year Cross-Sectional Study For 13 Years , 2020, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[33]  Wenpeng Cai,et al.  Prevalence of and factors associated with mental health problems and suicidality among senior high school students in rural China during the COVID-19 outbreak , 2020, Asian Journal of Psychiatry.

[34]  Xiaojun Shao,et al.  An investigation of mental health status of children and adolescents in china during the outbreak of COVID-19 , 2020, Journal of Affective Disorders.

[35]  Tara M. Dumas,et al.  Physically isolated but socially connected: Psychological adjustment and stress among adolescents during the initial COVID-19 crisis. , 2020, Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement.

[36]  Zhenshun Cheng,et al.  Cross-Sectional Studies: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Recommendations. , 2020, Chest.

[37]  K. Cheon,et al.  Increasing Trend and Characteristics of Korean Adolescents Presenting to Emergency Department for Self-Harm: A 5-Year Experience, 2015 to 2019 , 2020, Yonsei medical journal.

[38]  J. A. Gómez-Fraguela,et al.  Testing the Effects of COVID-19 Confinement in Spanish Children: The Role of Parents’ Distress, Emotional Problems and Specific Parenting , 2020, International journal of environmental research and public health.

[39]  K. Saurabh,et al.  Compliance and Psychological Impact of Quarantine in Children and Adolescents due to Covid-19 Pandemic , 2020, The Indian Journal of Pediatrics.

[40]  Didong Lou,et al.  Depression and anxiety among adolescents during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study , 2020, Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

[41]  Kristen M J Azar,et al.  Disparities In Outcomes Among COVID-19 Patients In A Large Health Care System In California. , 2020, Health affairs.

[42]  C. Correll,et al.  Suicidality in Childhood and Adolescence. , 2020, Deutsches Arzteblatt international.

[43]  Y. Bao,et al.  Mental health considerations for children quarantined because of COVID-19 , 2020, The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

[44]  B. Melnyk.  Reducing Healthcare Costs for Mental Health Hospitalizations With the Evidence-based COPE Program for Child and Adolescent Depression and Anxiety: A Cost Analysis. , 2020, Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners.

[45]  M. Han,et al.  Sleep problems increase school accidents related to allergic diseases , 2020, Pediatric allergy and immunology : official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology.

[46]  V. Patel,et al.  Our future: a Lancet commission on adolescent health and wellbeing , 2016, The Lancet.

[47]  E. Park,et al.  Variation in Meal-skipping Rates of Korean Adolescents According to Socio-economic Status: Results of the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey , 2014, Journal of preventive medicine and public health = Yebang Uihakhoe chi.

[48]  Diego De Leo,et al.  Natural disasters and suicidal behaviours: a systematic literature review. , 2013, Journal of affective disorders.

[49]  Mi-ae Lim,et al.  Recent Trends of Drug Abuse and Drug‐Associated Deaths in Korea , 2004, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

[50]  Danny Quah,et al.  Empirical cross-section dynamics in economic growth , 1993 .

[51]  Y. Khang,et al.  Data Resource Profile: The Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS). , 2016, International journal of epidemiology.