title: Gender differences in exposure and vulnerability to psychosocial and behavioral factors of suicide attempt among Korean adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined gender differences in suicide attempts and their association with exposure and vulnerability to psychosocial, behavioral, and structural factors among Korean adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 74 854 adolescents, taken from the 2010 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, were used. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the contribution of differential exposure to psychosocial, behavioral, and structural factors for gender differences of suicidal attempt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender differences were observed in the degree of exposure to the various factors. Females were more likely to report psychosocial problems, whereas males were more likely to report experience of smoking and drinking alcohol and to engage in vigorous physical activity. Stress and unhappiness were significantly associated with suicide attempts in both males and females, and gender differences in these variables were nonsignificant. Depressive symptoms were associated with a higher risk of suicide attempts, and this relationship was significantly stronger for males. The effects of cigarette smoking and risky drinking were significantly stronger in females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater exposure to perceived stress, feelings of unhappiness, depression, and higher vulnerability of smoking and heavy drinking accounted for higher suicide attempts of female adolescents. Higher exposure to health-related behaviors and greater vulnerability to depressive symptoms in male were also noted. In conclusion, differences in exposure and vulnerability to psychosocial and behavioral factors may partly explain gender differences in suicide attempts among Korean adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Division of Natural Science, Mokpo National University, Muan-gun, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gyeong-Suk
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Korea National University of Transportation, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungwon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health and Institute of Health and Environment, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000066608:Underage Drinking / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: adolescents; gender; risk factors; suicide attempt