Abstract
Objectives
A recent study conducted by the Korea National Statistical Office (KNSO) reported that the suicide rate in Korea decreased in 2012. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the decrease in suicide rate and media reporting of suicide events.
Methods
Data on suicide rates were obtained from the KNSO. Correlation between suicide rate and celebrity suicide events, number of media reports on suicide, and suicide searches was compared. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient.
Results
The number of celebrity suicide events and recognition of celebrity decreased in 2012. Pearson's correlation test showed a significant positive correlation between the monthly number of media reports on suicide and the suicide rate (daily newspaper r=0.619, p<0.001 ; broadcast r=0.393, p<0.001). The number of suicide searches showed association with celebrity suicide events.
Figures and Tables
Table 1
*: Relative values of the total number of news articles during the previous year on celebrities who committed suicide were calculated. Data were compared to the number of celebrities who committed suicide in 2011, and the total number of news articles covering each celebrity suicide during the previous year was converted to a constant (relative value-1)
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