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KMID : 0897520220270020029
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Journal of Korean Association of Social Psychiatry
2022 Volume.27 No. 2 p.29 ~ p.37
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A Study on Attitudes Toward Suicide of Patients With Psychiatric Disorder Registered on Mental Health Welfare Center
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Kim Won-Woo
Jon Duk-In
Hong Hyun-Ju
Jung Myung-Hun
Hong Na-Rei
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Abstract
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Objectives : The high suicide rate in Korea is a continuous social burden, and it is therefore necessary to establish an effective suicide prevention policy. Attitude toward suicide can be defined as a consistent view of suicide held by an individual, and it has been reported that changing attitude towards suicide through education can be effective in encouraging positive behaviors regarding suicide prevention. Although mental health welfare centers in Korea have been managing the suicide high-risk group through various programs, there remains a lack of studies on attitudes toward suicide of patients with psychiatric disorders registered in mental health centers. In this study, we investigated the attitudes and perceptions toward suicide of patients registered at one mental health welfare center.
Methods : Two hundred adults aged 19 years or over who registered and received mental health services from one mental health welfare center in an urban area were assessed using self-report questionnaires. The questionnaires consisted of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, attitudes toward and perceptions of suicide, and attitudes toward mass media on suicide-related topics.
Results : Many participants in this study showed a permissive attitude toward suicide, and their perception of social responsibility regarding suicide was low. The 60 years and older group viewed suicide as taboo (p<0.001) and unethical (p<0.001) more than younger groups, and the married or living together group also considered suicide taboo (p=0.005) and unethical (p=0.015) more than other groups. Compared to the group diagnosed with psychosis, the group diagnosed with neurosis showed a more accepting attitude toward suicide (p<0.001) and viewed suicide as less unethical (p=0.035). Similarly, the group receiving services from the suicide prevention center showed a more accepting attitude toward suicide (p=0.001) and viewed suicide as less unethical (p=0.029) than other groups.
Conclusion : Patients with psychiatric disorders in the community surveyed in this study showed a permissive attitude toward suicide, and had a lack of awareness of social responsibility regarding suicide. The results of this study can be used as basic data for further studies exploring efficient policies for community mental health services.
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KEYWORD
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Suicide, Attitude, Community mental health centers, Preventive psychiatry
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