title: Effects of the gap between socioeconomic status and perceived social class on suicidal ideation: Unique perspectives using a longitudinal analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigate the impact of gaps between socioeconomic status (SES; household income and education) and perceived social class on suicidal ideation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal data from the 2009 and 2011 Korean Health Panel Survey were used. Our sample consisted of 12,357 subjects included in the 2009 survey and 11,758 subjects included in the 2011 survey. We analyzed rates of suicidal ideation as a function of the gap between SES and perceived social class, defined as the difference between household income and education-high (H; college or higher), medium (M; high school), low (L; middle school or lower)-and perceived social class (H, M, and L).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among respondents whose actual and perceived levels of household income (HH: odds ratio [OR]=0.611 [95% CI [confidence interval]: 0.486-0.768], LL: OR=1.829 [95% CI: 1.489-2.247]) and education (HH: OR=0.788 [95% CI: 0.622-0.998], LL: OR 1.853 [95% CI: 1.476-2.328]) were the same, suicidal ideation increased as perceived social class decreased. The adjusted effect of the association between SES and perceived social class on suicidal ideation decreased according to the same pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that the gap between SES and perceptions of one's position in the social hierarchy explains a substantial part of inequalities in suicidal ideation. It is important to consider the impact of the slopes of both gaps on suicidal ideation rather than focus only on perceived social class.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea; Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of healthcare management, Eulji university, Sungnam, South Korea. Electronic address: kb53545@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ki-Bong
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Yoo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010465:Perception; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Perceived social class; Social class; Socioeconomic stratum; Suicide