title: Rapid spread of suicide by charcoal burning from 2007 to 2011 in Korea.
abstract: Despite rapid increase of suicide by charcoal burning within 5 years, little is known about the characteristics of charcoal burning suicide in Korea. This study aimed to examine the trends and risk factors in the spread of suicide using this method. We identified an association between media reporting of suicide by charcoal burning and its incidence. Data on suicide from 2007 to 2011 were obtained from the Korean National Statistical Office. Cross-correlation analysis was used. Increasing incidence of suicide by charcoal burning was correlated with higher education levels, male sex, and the latter half of the year. Victims of charcoal burning suicide were more likely to be young, male, single, highly educated, professional, urban-based, and to die between October and December. Internet reports of suicide via charcoal burning tended to precede the increased incidence of suicide using this method, but only during the early period of the suicide epidemic. Our findings suggest that one episode of heavy media coverage of a novel method, such as charcoal burning, is sufficient to increase the prevalence of suicide by that method even after media coverage decreases. These findings are expected to contribute to the prevention of increasing rates of suicide by charcoal burning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ah-Rong
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Yeop
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Subin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Asan Medical Center, Ulsan University College of Medicine, 388-1 Pungnap-2dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul 138-736, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jphong@amc.seoul.kr.
authors.forename: Jin Pyo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D002249:Carbon Monoxide Poisoning / Q000401:mortality*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002606:Charcoal; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D015995:Prevalence; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal
keywords: Carbon monoxide poisoning; Charcoal burning; Korea; Media; Risk factor; Suicide; Trend