Material Hardship and Suicidal Ideation Among Adults in South Korea: Mediating Effect of Future Expectation

Background: For a decade, South Korea has been the first country with the highest suicide rate among 35 OECD countries. As of 2012, the number of death by way of suicide is 29.1 persons out of 100,000, while 12.1 commit suicide in OECD countries.

Although reasons for suicide vary considerably, it has been ascertained that economical problems are most responsible for the suicide death of people over their twenties in Korea. We have a great number of studies on the relationship between poverty and suicide, but the influence of material hardship or deficiency of resources for lifeon suicide has been remarkably neglected. Besides, it has not been fully examined through which path economical problems lead to suicide cases. According to some studies, economic difficulties let individuals have a negative prospect on their future (Graham,  Pettinato, 1999), and the hopelessness which is derived from it, has negative influences on mental health outcomes(Beck, Steer, Kovas, & Garrison, 1985; Goldney, 1981; Beck & Weishaar, 1990; Haney et al., 2012).

In this context, this study aims to find out whether material hardship is associated with suicidal ideation and to examine the mediating effect of future expectation.

Methods: Data and Samples: This study used data from the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS), which is an annual panel survey that contains detailed information about household resources, welfare program participation, and individual well-being. We used Wave 7 in 2012 as it is the latest one that contains the items related to future expectation. Sample consists of 10,138 adults. 

Measures: Indicators of material hardship are made up of eleven items about their experience of material deprivation in four categories: food, health, utility, and housing. We created a dichotomous indicator with value of 1 if a household reported experience any material hardship in the previous year. Suicidal ideation was estimated by a binary item (0=never, 1=yes). Future expectation was measured using 10 items related to their outlook of the next year in their various areas of life. Mediation effect was evaluated utilizing regression techniques. Based on the previous studies, we controlled the variables of gender, age, household equivalent income, living with family, self-rated health, and depression. 

Results: The results showed that; 1) experiencing material hardship was associated with a higher likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR=1.296, p <.001), 2) experiencing material hardship  was negatively associated with future expectation(β=-.027, p <.001), 3) future expectation  mediated the association between experience of material hardship and suicidal ideation (OR=.509, P <.01), and 4) future expectation had a partial mediating effect on this relationship (Z=2.635, p <.001). 

Implications: This study found that material hardship has significant impact on suicidal ideation and mediating effect of future expectation among adults in South Korea. These findings suggest that material well-being and optimistic outlook should be considered in building social policies and programs to prevent suicide.