The Association of Physical and Mental Illness and Self-Harm Resulting in Hospitalization: A Population-Based Study of Older Adults in South Korea

Abstract

Self-harm injury among older adults is a pressing problem that demands social attention in South Korea. This study sought to identify the association between physical and mental illness and hospitalization following self-harm injuries, compared to non-self-harm injuries, among older adults living in Korea. We analyzed individuals aged 65 and older who were admitted to hospitals either for self-harm or non-self-harm from a population-based survey of the Korea National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey (KNHDIS). A logistic regression analysis was performed. Compared with non-self-harm-related hospitalization, self-harm hospitalization was associated with higher odds of depression, other disorders of the nervous system, malignancies, alcohol misuse and dependence, and drug-related dependence. Dementia, anxiety disorder, diabetes, arthritis, cerebral palsy, and other paralytic syndromes had a lower likelihood of leading to self-harm than non-self-harm hospitalization. The findings of this study can inform medical professionals to identify older adults with a heightened risk of self-harming behavior leading to hospitalization.