Rapid spread of suicide by charcoal burning from 2007 to 2011 in Korea

• We examined the socio-demographic characteristics of charcoal burning suicide.
• The trend for the increase of charcoal burning suicide in Korea was identified.
• The influence of media reporting on charcoal burning suicide was ascertained.
• Education levels, sex, and season were correlated with charcoal burning suicide.
• Once media coverage spreads, the suicide continuously grows without further reporting.

Despite rapid increase of suicide by charcoal burning within 5 years, little is known about the characteristics of charcoal burning suicide in Korea. This study aimed to examine the trends and risk factors in the spread of suicide using this method. We identified an association between media reporting of suicide by charcoal burning and its incidence. Data on suicide from 2007 to 2011 were obtained from the Korean National Statistical Office. Cross-correlation analysis was used. Increasing incidence of suicide by charcoal burning was correlated with higher education levels, male sex, and the latter half of the year. Victims of charcoal burning suicide were more likely to be young, male, single, highly educated, professional, urban-based, and to die between October and December. Internet reports of suicide via charcoal burning tended to precede the increased incidence of suicide using this method, but only during the early period of the suicide epidemic. Our findings suggest that one episode of heavy media coverage of a novel method, such as charcoal burning, is sufficient to increase the prevalence of suicide by that method even after media coverage decreases. These findings are expected to contribute to the prevention of increasing rates of suicide by charcoal burning.