Display options
Cite
Myung W, Won HH, Fava M, et al. Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea. Psychiatry Investig. 2015;12(2):204-11doi: 10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.204.
Myung, W., Won, H. H., Fava, M., Mischoulon, D., Yeung, A., Lee, D., Kim, D. K., & Jeon, H. J. (2015). Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea. Psychiatry investigation, 12(2), 204-11. https://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.204
Myung, Woojae, et al. "Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea." Psychiatry investigation vol. 12,2 (2015): 204-11. doi: https://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.204
Myung W, Won HH, Fava M, Mischoulon D, Yeung A, Lee D, Kim DK, Jeon HJ. Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea. Psychiatry Investig. 2015 Apr;12(2):204-11. doi: 10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.204. Epub 2015 Mar 18. PMID: 25866521; PMCID: PMC4390591.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Psychiatry Investig. 2015 Apr;12(2):204-11. doi: 10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.204. Epub 2015 Mar 18.

Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea.

Psychiatry investigation

Woojae Myung, Hong-Hee Won, Maurizio Fava, David Mischoulon, Albert Yeung, Dongsoo Lee, Doh Kwan Kim, Hong Jin Jeon

Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Depression Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
  2. Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
  3. Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
  4. Department of Psychiatry, Depression Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. ; Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. ; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation and Department of Medical Device Management and Research, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

PMID: 25866521 PMCID: PMC4390591 DOI: 10.4306/pi.2015.12.2.204

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Although evidence suggests that there is an increase in suicide rates in the general population following celebrity suicide, the rates are heterogeneous across celebrities and countries. It is unclear which is the more vulnerable population according to the effect sizes of celebrity suicides to general population.

METHODS: All suicide victims in the general population verified by the Korea National Statistical Office and suicides of celebrity in South Korea were included for 7 years from 2005 to 2011. Effect sizes were estimated by comparing rates of suicide in the population one month before and after each celebrity suicide. The associations between suicide victims and celebrities were examined.

RESULTS: Among 94,845 suicide victims, 17,209 completed suicide within one month after 13 celebrity suicides. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that suicide victims who died after celebrity suicide were significantly likely to be of age 20-39, female, and to die by hanging. These qualities were more strongly associated among those who followed celebrity suicide with intermediate and high effect sizes than lower. Younger suicide victims were significantly associated with higher effect size, female gender, white collar employment, unmarried status, higher education, death by hanging, and night-time death. Characteristics of celebrities were significantly associated with those of general population in hanging method and gender.

CONCLUSION: Individuals who commit suicide after a celebrity suicide are likely to be younger, female, and prefer hanging as method of suicide, which are more strongly associated in higher effect sizes of celebrity suicide.

Keywords: Celebrity; Effect size; South Korea; Suicide

References

  1. Br J Psychiatry. 2000 Nov;177:463-6 - PubMed
  2. Am J Prev Med. 2013 Feb;44(2):146-9 - PubMed
  3. J Clin Psychiatry. 2009 Jun;70(6):869-78 - PubMed
  4. J Affect Disord. 2006 Jul;93(1-3):245-52 - PubMed
  5. Int J Epidemiol. 2007 Dec;36(6):1229-34 - PubMed
  6. Am Sociol Rev. 1974;39(3):340-54 - PubMed
  7. PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e53870 - PubMed
  8. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2005 Apr;35(2):121-33 - PubMed
  9. Am Sociol Rev. 1974 Jun;39(3):340-54 - PubMed
  10. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012 Nov;66(11):1037-42 - PubMed
  11. Psychiatry Res. 2011 Apr 30;186(2-3):390-6 - PubMed
  12. Control Clin Trials. 1986 Sep;7(3):177-88 - PubMed
  13. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012 Feb;47(2):215-21 - PubMed
  14. PLoS One. 2013 Apr 22;8(4):e61809 - PubMed
  15. Am J Hum Genet. 2011 May 13;88(5):586-98 - PubMed
  16. Lancet. 2009 Apr 18;373(9672):1372-81 - PubMed
  17. Br J Soc Psychol. 1992 Dec;31 ( Pt 4):295-306 - PubMed
  18. Crisis. 2001;22(4):163-9 - PubMed
  19. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012 Jun;47(6):957-65 - PubMed
  20. J Clin Psychiatry. 2007 Jun;68(6):862-6 - PubMed
  21. Lancet. 2012 Mar 17;379(9820):1005-12 - PubMed
  22. J Affect Disord. 2013 Mar 20;146(1):39-44 - PubMed
  23. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011 Sep;65(9):825-8 - PubMed
  24. Br J Psychiatry. 1976 Nov;129:472-5 - PubMed
  25. JAMA. 2005 Oct 26;294(16):2064-74 - PubMed
  26. Lancet. 2012 Jun 23;379(9834):2393-9 - PubMed

Publication Types