Gender Differences in Suicide Ideation

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine suicide ideation among adults in Korea and to identify variables affecting the ideation. Methods: Data for the study were taken from the 2018 Korean General Social Survey which collected them from a national sample of 1,031 adults aged 18 and up who lived in households in Korea using face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. Results: The rate of suicide ideation is 12.7%. Although the rates of the suicide ideation are not significantly different between males and females, the variables affecting the suicide ideation are very different for males and females. Among the variables, health condition is the most important predictor of suicide ideation. Conclusions: Policies and programs for the prevention of suicide need to develop with consideration the different characteristics between males and females in suicide ideation.