Anxiety Mood.  2021 Oct;17(2):78-83. 10.24986/anxmod.2021.17.2.005.

Association Between Suicidal Attempt and Internet Addiction in Korean Psychiatric Patients: A Case-Control Study

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea
  • 2Department of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
  • 3Department of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Daegu, Korea

Abstract


Objective
: Current study investigated the association between internet addiction and suicidal attempts in psychiatric patients.
Methods
: Patients who visited emergency department or psychiatry outpatient unit of Chungnam National University Hospital from January 2020 to July 2021 were included in this study. Total of 192 participants, 96 suicidal attempt cases and 96 psychiatric control patients without history of suicidal attempt were matched by gender and baseline diagnosis. Depression and internet addiction were assessed by using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Independent t-tests, and logistic regression analyses were conducted.
Results
: IAT scores were significantly higher in suicidal attempt case group (41.09±18.196 years) compared to psychiatric control patients without history of suicidal attempt (36.63±17.016 years) (p=0.040). Internet addiction (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]=2.049, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.004-4.539, p=0.0493) was an independent risk factor for suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients after controlling age, gender, and sociodemographic factors, such as marital status, education level and employment status.
Conclusion
: This is the first study to investigate the relationship between internet addiction and suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients in Korea. Internet addiction is significantly associated with suicidal attempt in psychiatric patients, after adjusting sociodemographic variables. This study provides evidence to future studies to further investigate on causality of internet addiction and suicidality in psychiatric patients.

Keyword

Suicide; Self-injurious behavior; Internet addiction disorder
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