횡성군에서의 자살에 관한 연구

Suicides in Whoeng-Sung County, A Korean Rural Area

An epidemiologic and psychiatric studies about suicides in Whoeng-Sung county for the past 7 years frcm January 1，1977 to December 31，1983 were conducted in order to identify overall pictures of suicides committed in this area. All the suicidal cases were obtained frcm the records of Whoeng-Sung police station. The authors visited homes of suicide victims and interviewed the family members, the relatives and the neighbors. The total number of suicides committed in this area during the study pericd was 123, and the suicidal rate was 23.4 per 100, CCO populaticn. The number, excluding the inhabitants outside this area, was 109, and the rate was 20.7 per 100,000 population. The male to female ratio was 2 to 1 and the highest rates were shown in the age group of 50-59 for male and 20-29 for female. Alse, higher rates were shown in lesser educated, lower economic class, and people of Buddism and Confucianism. The main method for suicides, accounting for 76.1% of the total, was by ingestion of herbicides ard insecticides fcr farming purpcses. The place selected for the suicide was usually at victim’s cwn hcuse(67.9%). 82.4% of the victirr. s have previcusly suggested their intention to ccmroit suicide ard of the victim have left a will. Also the suicidal rate was highest in the summer, higher in the afterrxcn, ard higher in the beginning of the week for the male. Single men showed the highest suicidal rate. The ccir.rr.cn precipitating factors cf ccmmitting suicide were family trouble, chronic illness or disability and financial difficulty. The most apparant dynamic motives of the suidides was easy self-abar.dcnrr.ent of one’s own life. Most of the suicidal victims had some psyo hopatholcgic condition(9l.6%).