Allergic diseases, excessive Internet use and suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between suicidal ideation, allergic diseases, and excessive Internet use in Korean youth using a national representative dataset.MethodsData from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (KYRBWS), conducted by the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were used in this study. Complex sample logistic regression and structural equation modeling were performed to define the relation between suicidal ideation, allergic disease and excessive Internet use.ResultsA total of 73,238 students participated in this survey. In Korea, 19.3% of adolescents had suicidal ideation in the previous year. Asthma (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.15–1.32, p < 0.01) and allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.11–1.22, p < 0.01) were identified as risk factors for suicidal ideation after adjusting for school and family factors. Structural equation modeling showed that excessive Internet use interacted with the association between allergic diseases and suicidal ideation.ConclusionAllergy problems could positively affect suicidal ideation in Korean adolescents. Excessive Internet use could be a mediating factor between allergic disease and suicidal ideation.