Institute of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences and Global Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2023 Apr;57(4):537-549. doi: 10.1177/00048674221108640. Epub 2022 Jul 14.
We investigated recent trends in youth suicide and their associations with societal and psychological factors in Taiwan.
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.
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.
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.
本研究旨在探讨台湾地区青少年自杀的近期趋势及其与社会心理因素的关联。
从台湾地区死因统计资料中提取 10-24 岁青少年自杀数据（1971-2019 年）。通过 Joinpoint 回归和图形检查，研究青少年自杀率、社会因素（人均国内生产总值、基尼系数、总失业率和青年失业率、40-59 岁人群（即大多数 15-24 岁青少年父母的年龄）离婚率以及互联网使用率）和心理困扰指标（青少年自残率、与担忧相关的失眠患病率、自杀意念、计划和尝试）的变化趋势。采用 Prais-Winsten 回归分析这些因素与青少年自杀率的关联。
台湾地区 10-24 岁青少年自杀率从 2005-2014 年的下降趋势转为 2014 年的上升趋势，并在 2014 年至 2019 年间以每年 11.5%（95%置信区间为[5.2%，18.1%]）的速度增长。2014 年，40-59 岁女性离婚率也出现上升，2013 年 15-24 岁青少年自残率上升。2013 年至 2016 年，青少年报告的失眠和自杀意念、计划和尝试的发生率开始增加。在回归分析中，互联网使用、女性离婚率和青少年自残率与青少年自杀率呈正相关。
台湾地区青少年的自杀率和自杀行为的发生率在 21 世纪 10 年代开始上升。这些增长可能与父母离婚率、互联网使用和睡眠质量差的同时上升有关。需要进一步研究以探讨近期青少年自杀风险增加的机制。
