The Leading Cause of Death in Young Korean Adults Is Suicide

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It has been revealed that the leading cause of death in young adults in Korea is suicide. According to "2015 Young Adults Statistics" released by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and Statistics Korea on April 28, the leading cause of death in those between 9 and 24 years of age in 2013 was "intentional self-harm (suicide)." Suicide took the lives of 7.8 out of 100,000 people, an increase from 7.4 in 2013. The next most prevalent cause of death was unintentional accidents (4.4 people) and malignant neoplasms (i.e. cancer, 3.1 people). This is an increase in the rate of suicide from 2003, which stood at 7.4 per 100,000, whereas the rate of deaths by unintentional accidents and malignant neoplasms dropped from 9.6 and 4.2, respectively. Furthermore, 7.9 percent of young adults between the ages of 13 and 24 responded that they had contemplated suicide at least once in their lives. When asked why, young adults between the ages of 13 to 19 said grades and other academic issues (39.3 percent) and economic difficulties (19.5 percent) was the reason, and those between the ages of 20-24 referred to work-related issues (20.1%) and economic difficulties (20.0 percent). Meanwhile, young adults chose school as their biggest worries. Last year, those between the ages of 13 to 24 responded that their biggest worries are studies (35.3 percent), and appearance and health (16.9 percent). The people who young adults most sought help from to deal with these issues with were friends and peers (46.2 percent). Parents were the next most sought out (26 percent), followed by those who sought to resolve their concerns on their own (17.6 percent). Source (1)

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