Early Initiation of Alcohol Drinking, Cigarette Smoking and Sexual Intercourse Linked to Suicidal Ideation and Attempts: Findings from the 2006 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Dong-Sik Kim, Seoul National University
Hyun-Sun Kim, Seoul National University

Using the 2006 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative sample of high and middle school students (32,417 males and 31,467 females) in grades 7–12, this study was to examine the association between early initiation of problem behaviors (alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, and sexual intercourse) and suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideation and attempts), and to explore the effect of concurrent exposure to those problem behaviors on suicidal behaviors, controlling for confounding factors. Preteen initiators with each problem behavior were at greater risk for suicidal behaviors than non-initiators, in both genders, even after controlling for covariates. The more problem behaviors males and females concurrently experienced, the more likely they were to seriously consider suicide and to attempt suicide. Although being on the same occurrence, however, this pattern was more clearly observed in preteen initiators than in teen initiators.