Article type
Abstract
Background: Suicide is the leading cause of death worldwide, particularly in South Korea, which ranks first among OECD countries. The country has a dual medical licensing system for Western and Korean medicine (KM). However, Korean medicine doctors (KMDs) were not considered in the country’s suicide prevention policy.
Objectives: This study investigates the willingness KMDs to participate in South Korea's suicide prevention policy through a survey. Additionally, the potential impact of the KMDs’ participation was examined through analysis of the Nationally Representative Sample.
Methods: This study consisted of two stages: an online anonymous survey, with a questionnaire of 34 questions in five categories. Total 328 KMDs completed the survey, between September and October 2023. The Korea Health Panel Annual Data 2019 (KHPAD-2019) was analyzed in the second step. The study subjects were 1,924 (weighted n:5,958,666) people aged 19 or older who used the KM outpatient service at least once in 2019.
Results: The results showed that 47.0% of the KMDs reported encountering patients with suicidal ideation (SI) in their clinical settings within the past year. However, only 18% of clinicians have used suicide risk assessment tools, indicating the possibility of undiscovered patients with suicidal behaviour. Importantly, 60.2% of respondents expressed their willingness to participate in the government's suicide prevention policies. In the analysis of the KHPAD-2019, it was found that 7.5% of KM outpatients reported SI. The annual prevalence of SI increased with age, with rates of 4.6% in young, 6.7% in middle-aged, and 12.4% in older adults. There was a correlation between increased stress levels and higher prevalence, with rates of 2.0% in those experiencing hardly any stress, 3.9% in those experiencing a little stress, 13.7% in those experiencing a lot of stress, and 24.8% in those experiencing very much of stress.
Conclusions: This study examines the potential contribution of KMDs in reducing the high suicide rate in South Korea. The findings indicate that suicidal ideation is not uncommon among KM outpatients. However, suicide risk assessment tools are rarely used in clinical practice by KMDs. Therefore, it is important to improve early screening of suicide risk in their clinical practice.
Objectives: This study investigates the willingness KMDs to participate in South Korea's suicide prevention policy through a survey. Additionally, the potential impact of the KMDs’ participation was examined through analysis of the Nationally Representative Sample.
Methods: This study consisted of two stages: an online anonymous survey, with a questionnaire of 34 questions in five categories. Total 328 KMDs completed the survey, between September and October 2023. The Korea Health Panel Annual Data 2019 (KHPAD-2019) was analyzed in the second step. The study subjects were 1,924 (weighted n:5,958,666) people aged 19 or older who used the KM outpatient service at least once in 2019.
Results: The results showed that 47.0% of the KMDs reported encountering patients with suicidal ideation (SI) in their clinical settings within the past year. However, only 18% of clinicians have used suicide risk assessment tools, indicating the possibility of undiscovered patients with suicidal behaviour. Importantly, 60.2% of respondents expressed their willingness to participate in the government's suicide prevention policies. In the analysis of the KHPAD-2019, it was found that 7.5% of KM outpatients reported SI. The annual prevalence of SI increased with age, with rates of 4.6% in young, 6.7% in middle-aged, and 12.4% in older adults. There was a correlation between increased stress levels and higher prevalence, with rates of 2.0% in those experiencing hardly any stress, 3.9% in those experiencing a little stress, 13.7% in those experiencing a lot of stress, and 24.8% in those experiencing very much of stress.
Conclusions: This study examines the potential contribution of KMDs in reducing the high suicide rate in South Korea. The findings indicate that suicidal ideation is not uncommon among KM outpatients. However, suicide risk assessment tools are rarely used in clinical practice by KMDs. Therefore, it is important to improve early screening of suicide risk in their clinical practice.