Search

Aim: No previous studies, to our knowledge, have investigated the association between psychiatrist density and suicide, accounting for individual‐ and area‐level characteristics. Methods: We investigated all suicide cases in 2007‐2017 identified from the national cause‐of‐death data files, with each suicide case matched to 10 controls by age and sex and each suicide case/control assigned to one of the 355 townships across Taiwan. Our primary outcome was the odds ratio (OR) of suicide and its 95% confidence interval (CI) estimated via multilevel models, which included both individual‐ and area‐level characteristics. Townships with no psychiatrists were compared with the quartiles of townships with psychiatrists (density per 100,000 population): quartile 1 (Q1) (0.01–3.02); quartile 2 (Q2) (3.02–7.20); quartile 3 (Q3) (7.20–13.82); and quartile 4 (Q4) (>13.82). Results: A total of 40,930 suicide cases and 409,300 age‐ and sex‐matched controls were included. We found that increased psychiatrist density was associated with decreased suicide risk (Q1: adjusted OR [aOR], 0.95 [95% CI, 0.90–1.01]; Q2: aOR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.85–0.96]; Q3: aOR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.83–0.94]; Q4: aOR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.83–0.95]) after adjusting for individual‐level characteristics (employment state, monthly income, physical comorbidities, and the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders) and area socioeconomic characteristics. Conclusions: The psychiatrist density–suicide association suggests an effect of increased availability of psychiatric services on preventing suicide. Suicide prevention strategies could usefully focus on enhancing local access to psychiatric services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on call volumes and call characteristics using data from a national crisis helpline. Data were extracted for 215,066 calls to Taiwan's national suicide prevention hotline (January 2018–May 2020). We used negative binomial regression to investigate changes in the weekly number of calls during the early period of the COVID-19 outbreak (January 21, 2020–May 25, 2020), relative to that expected according to the pre-pandemic trend. The call characteristics during the pandemic period (February 18, 2020–May 31, 2020) were compared between COVID-19 related vs unrelated calls. Higher-than-expected call volumes started from the 6th week of the pandemic and reached a peak in the 14th week, which was 38% (rate ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.26–1.51) higher than that expected based on the pre-pandemic trend. The higher-than-expected call volumes were mainly attributable to higher-than-expected calls from non-suicidal and male callers. Calls in which COVID-19 was mentioned (13.2%) were more likely to be from male and first-time callers, occur outside 12 am–6 am, last less than 5 min, and were less likely to be from callers who had previous suicide attempts, recent suicidal ideation or suicide plans or actions than COVID-19 unrelated calls. Callers who made COVID-19 related calls were more likely to request information than other callers. Crisis helplines should strategically adapt to the increased need and callers' specific concerns related to the outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We investigated recent trends in youth suicide and their associations with societal and psychological factors in Taiwan. Methods: Suicide data (1971–2019) for 10–24 year olds were extracted from Taiwan's national cause-of-death data files. We investigated changes in trends in youth suicide rates, societal factors (gross domestic product per capita, Gini index, overall and youth unemployment rates, divorce rates in people aged 40–59 years [i.e. the age of most 15–24 year olds' parents] and Internet use rates) and psychological distress indicators (youth self-harm rates and the prevalence of worry-related insomnia, and suicide ideation, plan and attempt) using joinpoint regression and graphic examinations. The associations of these factors with youth suicide rates were examined using Prais–Winsten regression. Results: Suicide rates in Taiwan's 10–24 year olds changed from a downward trend (2005–2014) to an upward trend in 2014 and increased 11.5% (95% confidence interval = [5.2%, 18.1%]) annually between 2014 and 2019. There was also an upturn in divorce rates among females aged 40–59 years in 2014 and self-harm rates among 15- to 24-year-old youth in 2013. The prevalence of self-reported insomnia and suicide ideation, plan and attempt in youth started to increase from 2013 to 2016. In the regression analysis, Internet use, female divorce rates and youth self-harm rates were positively associated with youth suicide rates. Conclusion: Suicide rates and the prevalence of suicidal behaviors began to increase in Taiwanese youth in the 2010s. These increases may be associated with concurrent rises in parental divorce rates, Internet use and poor sleep. Further research is needed to examine the mechanisms underlying recent increases in youth suicide risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Suicide is a leading cause of death in the working-age population. We investigated suicide mortality among diagnostic medical radiation workers in relation to their demographic and occupational factors in South Korea.Methods: The study population consisted of all diagnostic medical radiation workers enrolled in the National Dosimetry Registry from 1996 to 2011. The registry data were linked with mortality data through the end of 2017. We calculated age-standardised suicide rates, standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and rate ratios (RRs) by demographic and occupational factors.Results: A total of 207 suicides were identified among 94 367 medical radiation workers, exhibiting a suicide rate of 14.0 per 100 000 person-years. Compared with the general population, suicide rates were lower for both male and female workers (SMR 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42 to 0.57; SMR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.70, respectively). Similarly, decreased SMRs were observed across job titles and other work-related factors. However, a shorter duration of employment was positively associated with RRs for suicide; risks were 2.74 (95% CI 1.56 to 4.81) and 4.66 (95% CI 1.53 to 14.20) times higher in male and female workers with less than 1 year of employment, respectively, than in those with at least 10 years of employment.Conclusions: Diagnostic medical radiation workers in South Korea showed lower suicide rates than in the general population. However, a shorter duration of employment was associated with higher risk of suicide. Suicide prevention efforts could target workers engaged in short-term employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the relationships between individuals’ life satisfaction and individual-, household- and neighbourhood-level characteristics and evidence for cross-level interactions. We used data on individuals’ life satisfaction and a range of individual- and household-level characteristics from the Hong Kong Panel Study of Social Dynamics (2011) with linkage to neighbourhood-level aggregated data extracted from the 2011 census. The neighbourhood-level variables included the poverty rate and four factors derived from factor analysis based on 21 variables. Multilevel models were used to allow for the hierarchical nature of the data. Most of the variance in life satisfaction could be explained by individual- and household-level characteristics. Neighbourhood-level characteristics accounted for a small proportion (around 5% or less) of the variance. Most of the individual- and household-level characteristics studied were associated with life satisfaction. Life satisfaction was negatively associated with local poverty rate and three neighbourhood factors (deprivation, social fragmentation and ageing). There was evidence of cross-level interactions. For example, the level of life satisfaction decreased with an increasing neighbourhood poverty rate among individuals who did not receive Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), but CSSA recipients had a higher level of life satisfaction in areas with higher poverty rates. The negative effect of neighbourhood poverty on life satisfaction was more marked in individuals who rented or owned their homes than in those who lived in public housing. Our results have implications for urban policies that may improve life satisfaction such as financial and housing support for high risk individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data from some countries showed a worrisome increase in domestic violence but a paradoxical decrease in divorce during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the impact of the pandemic on domestic violence and divorce in Taiwan in 2020-2021., Method: Data for reported domestic violence and divorce by month and county/city (2017-2021) were from Taiwan government's registries. We used random-effects negative binomial regression to estimate the rate ratios (RRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between the observed numbers of domestic violence cases and divorces in 2020-2021 and the expected numbers based on prepandemic trends (2017-2019). We calculated RRs for the two outbreak periods (First: January-May 2020; Second: May-July 2021) and the two postoutbreak periods (First: June 2020-April 2021; Second: August-December 2021) and each month in 2020-2021., Results: The number of overall domestic violence cases was greater than expected during the first COVID-19 outbreak-a 3% increase (95% CI [0.3%-6%])-and the two postoutbreak periods-a 9% increase ([6%-12%]) and a 12% increase ([8%-16%]), respectively. Intimate partner violence was the main contributor to the increases. The number of divorces was lower than expected throughout the pandemic (a 5%-24% decrease)., Conclusion: Reported domestic violence cases were higher than expected during the pandemic, particularly during the postoutbreak periods when the outbreak control measures were relaxed and people's movement resumed. Tailored prevention and intervention measures may be needed to address the increased vulnerability to domestic violence and restricted access to support during the outbreaks. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).