Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation Among Middle-Aged Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the 2022-2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
- 1College of Nursing, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea.
- 2Department of Nursing, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Republic of Korea.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Suicide became the leading cause of death among Korean adults in their 40s in 2024. We identified sociodemographic, health behavior, and mental health correlates of suicidal ideation in mid-life without adjustment for depression, which overlaps with the outcome through Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item 9 and was measured in only one of the two survey years. Methods: This cross-sectional secondary analysis of the 9th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2022-2023) used complete data from 4715 of 5153 adults aged 40-64 years. Anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (screening threshold ≥ 10). Complex-sample logistic regression incorporated strata, clusters, and pooled weights, with all covariates prespecified. Results: Suicidal ideation prevalence was 3.8%. Independent correlates were high perceived stress (odds ratio (OR) = 8.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.47-13.34), one-generation other-type household (OR = 6.81, 3.29-14.08; n = 59, 11 events), elevated anxiety symptoms (OR = 5.01, 3.02-8.32), middle school education or below (OR = 2.13, 1.12-4.03), economic inactivity (OR = 1.85, 1.25-2.73), poor perceived health (OR = 1.70, 1.13-2.55), and low household income (OR = 1.57, 1.08-2.28). Wave-specific adjustment for depression attenuated the stress and anxiety associations by 15-55% without eliminating them. Conclusions: Mid-life suicidal ideation was associated with mental health vulnerability, household composition, and socioeconomic disadvantage. The value of these cross-sectional associations for screening or risk stratification requires prospective evaluation.
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BibTeX
@article{son2026factors,
title = {{Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation Among Middle-Aged Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the 2022-2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.}},
author = {Jung-Ha Son and Chul-Gyu Kim and Ji-Su Hong and Yun-Hee Oh and Ji-Yeon Choi},
journal = {Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/healthcare14203426},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940471},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Factors Associated with Suicidal Ideation Among Middle-Aged Korean Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the 2022-2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
AU - Jung-Ha Son
AU - Chul-Gyu Kim
AU - Ji-Su Hong
AU - Yun-Hee Oh
AU - Ji-Yeon Choi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/healthcare14203426
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42940471
AB - Background/Objectives: Suicide became the leading cause of death among Korean adults in their 40s in 2024. We identified sociodemographic, health behavior, and mental health correlates of suicidal ideation in mid-life without adjustment for depression, which overlaps with the outcome through Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item 9 and was measured in only one of the two survey years. Methods: This cross-sectional secondary analysis of the 9th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2022-2023) used complete data from 4715 of 5153 adults aged 40-64 years. Anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (screening threshold ≥ 10). Complex-sample logistic regression incorporated strata, clusters, and pooled weights, with all covariates prespecified. Results: Suicidal ideation prevalence was 3.8%. Independent correlates were high perceived stress (odds ratio (OR) = 8.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.47-13.34), one-generation other-type household (OR = 6.81, 3.29-14.08; n = 59, 11 events), elevated anxiety symptoms (OR = 5.01, 3.02-8.32), middle school education or below (OR = 2.13, 1.12-4.03), economic inactivity (OR = 1.85, 1.25-2.73), poor perceived health (OR = 1.70, 1.13-2.55), and low household income (OR = 1.57, 1.08-2.28). Wave-specific adjustment for depression attenuated the stress and anxiety associations by 15-55% without eliminating them. Conclusions: Mid-life suicidal ideation was associated with mental health vulnerability, household composition, and socioeconomic disadvantage. The value of these cross-sectional associations for screening or risk stratification requires prospective evaluation.
SN - 2227-9032
ER -