Patterns of follow-up mental health care after hospitalization for suicide-related behaviors among older adults in South Korea

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 350; pp. 313 - 318
• Main Authors: Kim, Chungah, Jin, Hyunju, Kang, Goneui, Dusing, Gabriel Joun, Chum, Antony
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Follow-up Care; Mental health care; Sociodemographic factors; South Korea; Suicide-related behaviors; Suicide-related behaviors; Mental health care; South Korea; Follow-up Care; Sociodemographic factors
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.089

This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with receiving follow-up mental healthcare within 7 days and 30 days after hospitalization for suicide-related behaviors (SRB) among older adults in South Korea. Data from the Korean National Health Information Database were used, including information on sociodemographic variables and healthcare utilization. The study cohort consisted of individuals born in 1950 or before with a prior hospitalization record for suicide attempts or probable suicide attempts. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to predict the odds of receiving follow-up care within 7 days and 30 days, adjusting for covariates. Among the 37,595 older adults discharged from hospitalization for SRB, 29.13 % and 37.86 % received follow-up care within 7 days and 30 days, respectively. Follow-up care was more common among younger individuals, women, those with higher socio-economic status (SES), urban residents, and individuals with comorbidities. The provision of mental health follow-up care for older adults after hospitalization for suicide attempts is inadequate in South Korea. Increasing access to follow-up care among those with lower income, residing in rural areas, and older age is crucial. Public awareness campaigns, stigma reduction training for healthcare providers, and system-level changes, such as telemedicine and integrated care pathways, can help bridge the healthcare gap and reduce suicide mortality among older adults. •We investigated the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with receiving follow-up care within 7-days and 30-days after hospitalization for suicide-related behaviors (SRB) among older adults in South Korea•The majority of older adults (88%) who had hospitalizations for SRB did not have follow-up care within 7 days in Korea.•The majority of older adults (88%) who had hospitalizations for SRB did not have follow-up care within 7 days in Korea. Being male, having fewer comorbidities, having low income, residing in rural areas, and being older were each associated with lower odds of follow-up care•Our study underscores the lack of rapid follow-up care in the majority of older adults who are hospitalized for SRB, and the need to develop strategies to address this healthcare gap.