title: Age-period-cohort analysis of the suicide rate in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The suicide rate has been increasing in Korea, and the country now has the highest rank in the world. This study aimed to present the long-term trends in Korea's suicide rate using Joinpoint analysis and age-period-cohort (APC) modeling.
  
  
  METHODS
  The population and the number of suicides for each five-year age group were obtained from the National Statistical Office for the period 1984-2013 for Koreans aged 10 years and older. We determined the changes in the trends in age-standardized mortality rates using Joinpoint. APC modeling was performed to describe the trends in the suicide rate using the intrinsic estimator method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-standardized suicide rate in men rapidly increased from 1989 to 2004, and slightly increased thereafter, whereas the suicide rate in women increased from 1989 to 2009 and then decreased thereafter. Within the same period, the suicide rate was higher among the older age groups than in the younger groups. Within the same birth cohort, the suicide rate of the older groups was also higher than that in the younger groups. Within the same age group, the suicide rate of the younger cohorts was higher than it was in the older cohorts. In the APC modeling, old age, recent period, and having been born before 1924 were associated with higher suicide rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The accuracy and completeness of the suicide rate data may lead to bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed an increasing trend in the suicide rates for men and women after 1989. These trends may be mainly attributed to cohort effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Myongji Hospital, Goyang-si, Korea.
authors.forename: Chiho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics, Sookmyung Women University, Seoul, Korea; Institute for Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yon Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Jee
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea; Institute for Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address: kjjung@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Keum Ji
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000639:trends*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Birth cohort; Korea; Mortality; Suicide; Trends