Lower education levels linked to higher suicide rates—up to 13 times higher

A research team led by Professor Myung Ki from the Department of Preventive Medicine at Korea University College of Medicine (KUCM) recently published a study examining the link between education levels and suicide rates. The study found that among young men aged 30 to 44 whose highest level of education was elementary school or lower, the suicide rate was 6.1 to 13 times higher than that of men with a university or higher degree across all survey periods (1995–2020). These findings highlight the profound impact of socioeconomic disparities on suicide rates.

In particular, the suicide rate per 100,000 people for men aged 30-44 with a primary school education or less was 288.2 in 2015 and 251.4 in 2020. This is nearly ten times the national average suicide rate of 27.3 in South Korea. It also far exceeds the suicide rate in Nunavut, Canada—home to the Inuit community, which has one of the highest suicide rates in the world—and surpasses the rate of 232 among the Guarani Kaiowa people in the Brazilian Amazon.

The study concludes that suicide rates in South Korea vary significantly by social class, with the lowest education levels corresponding to the highest suicide rates. This pattern aligns with the "deaths of despair" theory proposed by Nobel Prize-winning economist Angus Deaton, which suggests that despair stemming from economic hardship and social disadvantage can drive individuals to suicide. The research highlights that suicide is not merely a personal issue but a consequence of deep-rooted social inequalities and emotional distress tied to class differences.

Professor Ki of KUCM emphasized that suicide should not be seen solely as an individual mental health issue but as a broader social problem influenced by economic disparities. He stressed that without proper support systems, social and economic disadvantages can become a stigma of failure, leading to severe psychological distress. Effective suicide prevention policies should take a comprehensive approach, addressing both social crises—such as poverty and rental fraud—and mental health concerns together, rather than handling them separately. A comprehensive approach that considers social vulnerability is essential to reducing the suicide inequalities and strengthening South Korea’s social safety net.

Professor Ki also noted that while South Korea has expanded psychological support programs, such as the "National Mind Investment & Support Project," more robust administrative measures are needed to tackle the social factors contributing to suicide. He added, "Active policies that account for social vulnerability are key to suicide prevention. It is crucial that these efforts are recognized as acts of social respect and care for those who are most vulnerable."

The study’s findings were published in the prestigious journal Social Science & Medicine under the title "Changes in suicide inequalities in the context of an increase and a decrease in suicide mortality: The case of South Korea, 1995-2020."