Inpatient suicide trends and prevention: Insights from a South Korean nationwide study

Inpatient suicide is a significant problem, accounting for the third-highest ratio(17.8 %) of suicides in South Korea in 2017. We aimed to investigate the characteristics of inpatient suicides using national data, evaluate risk factors, and provide recommendations for suicide prevention.

This nationwide case-control study utilized national data on all inpatient suicides from police investigations between 2013 and 2017. A total of 4998 individuals were included, comprising 833 inpatient suicides and 4165 controls. Inpatient suicide risk factors were assessed through cross-tabulations and logistic regression analyses.

Among eight hundred thirty-three individuals died by suicide in hospitals; most were male (74.9 %), older than 60 years (61.3 %), married (43.0 %), and unemployed (85.1 %). The primary method of inpatient suicide were jumping from a height (49 %), followed by hanging (39.7 %). Major depressive disorder was the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis among inpatient suicides. The risk of inpatient suicide was significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia, dementia, and alcohol use disorder.

Effective management of hospital facilities and environments is essential to prevent inpatient suicides. Nursing hospitals treating patients with dementia require more rigorous psychiatric evaluations and facility safety standards. We recommend implementing crisis interventions and comprehensive psychiatric assessments to prevent inpatient suicide.