ABSTRACT
Background@#The objective of this study was to investigate the trend of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among persons who were directly impacted by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially those with pre-existing mental disorders. @*Methods@#Using the National Health Insurance Service-COVID-19 database cohort, the monthly SIB rate was calculated by COVID-19 subgroups (i.e., positive for COVID-19 test, negative for COVID-19 test, and non-COVID-19 test [control]). In addition, moderated regression analysis was utilized to examine the statistical difference of SIB (suicide attempt and non-suicidal self-injury using ICD-10 code) trend between COVID-19 subgroups and with and without pre-existing mental disorder. @*Results@#A total of 328,373 persons were included in the cohort study. Of these, 212,678 had been tested for COVID-19, and 7,713 of them were confirmed positive. During the pandemic peak, the “negative for COVID-19” group showed a large increase (P = 0.003) in SIB rates compared to the control group, the “positive for COVID-19” group showed a decreasing trend, but not significant (P = 0.314). Among those who were tested for COVID-19, those with pre-existing mental disorders showed an increasing trend of SIB compared to those without pre-existing mental disorders, however statistically insignificant (P= 0.137). @*Conclusion@#Our results suggest that people who are tested for COVID-19 are at a high risk of SIB during the peak COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, screening for suicide risk and psychological interventions is needed for these high-risk groups.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#The objective of this study was to monitor the trend of psychiatric visits and medication prescriptions among people tested for SARS-CoV-2 during the initial phase of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea. @*Methods@#We conducted a population-based cohort study using data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) linked to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) data. The overall trend of psychiatric visits during COVID-19 for each month was compared to the month prior to COVID-19. The number of psychiatric medication prescription records was monitored from January 2019 to May 2020. @*Results@#A total of 212,678 individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2 between January 2020 and May 2020. Among these individuals, 72.1% (n=153,309) did not have pre-existing mental illness, and 27.9% (n=59,369) had pre-existing mental illness. We found that most psychiatric visits were made in March, and patients without pre-existing mental illness significantly increased in psychiatric outpatients during the COVID-19 pandemic (p trend<0.001). In addition, psychiatric medication prescriptions were the most prescribed between March and April 2020. @*Conclusion@#We identified a rising trend in psychiatric visits and medication prescriptions among people who were tested for SARSCoV-2 during the initial phase of COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.
ABSTRACT
Objectives@#There is an increasing number of North Korean adolescents in South Korea. These adolescents need clinical attention as they experience a high risk of suicidal behavior because of the childhood adversity and acculturative challenges that they face before and after arriving in South Korea. This study assessed the risk of suicide attempts among North Korean adolescents compared to South Korean adolescents, and investigated the contributing factors for each group. @*Methods@#We used data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (KYRBS) spanning 2011 to 2018, in which 404 adolescents had a father and/or mother who was a North Korean native. Data on 1,212 propensity-matched South Korean adolescents were extracted from the 2011 to 2018 KYRBS. Prevalence was calculated and compared by group. Separate odds ratios were calculated by group. @*Results@#The North Korean group had a significantly higher suicide attempt rate [unadjusted odds ratio (OR)=8.27; adjusted OR=8.45].Multivariate analysis indicated that having a low or high socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with suicide attempts in North Korean adolescents, while being female, having a high socioeconomic status, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms were significantly related to suicide attempts in South Korean adolescents. @*Conclusion@#The results found similarities and differences in the factors associated with the likelihood of suicide attempts in the two groups. From these results, different approaches are needed when planning interventions for each group.
ABSTRACT
Objectives@#There is an increasing number of North Korean adolescents in South Korea. These adolescents need clinical attention as they experience a high risk of suicidal behavior because of the childhood adversity and acculturative challenges that they face before and after arriving in South Korea. This study assessed the risk of suicide attempts among North Korean adolescents compared to South Korean adolescents, and investigated the contributing factors for each group. @*Methods@#We used data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (KYRBS) spanning 2011 to 2018, in which 404 adolescents had a father and/or mother who was a North Korean native. Data on 1,212 propensity-matched South Korean adolescents were extracted from the 2011 to 2018 KYRBS. Prevalence was calculated and compared by group. Separate odds ratios were calculated by group. @*Results@#The North Korean group had a significantly higher suicide attempt rate [unadjusted odds ratio (OR)=8.27; adjusted OR=8.45].Multivariate analysis indicated that having a low or high socioeconomic status and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with suicide attempts in North Korean adolescents, while being female, having a high socioeconomic status, alcohol use, and depressive symptoms were significantly related to suicide attempts in South Korean adolescents. @*Conclusion@#The results found similarities and differences in the factors associated with the likelihood of suicide attempts in the two groups. From these results, different approaches are needed when planning interventions for each group.