Contextual Association between Political Regime and Adolescent Suicide Risk in Korea: A 12-year Repeated Cross-Sectional Study from Korea

This study evaluated associations between contextual political determinants and individual adolescent suicide risk (SR). Using repeated cross-sectional individual-level data of 829,861 students in the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey and national contextual-level data during 2005–2016, cross-classified random effects models were conducted to estimate fixed period and cohort effects of political determinants on SR. Adolescent SR was reduced during conservative presidential regimes. Contrary to presidencies’ period effects, conservative regimes had negative cohort effects on adolescent SR. The odds of suicide attempt and depression increased in the grade cohorts affected by college entrance examination policies of conservative regimes. Politics has significantly impacted adolescent SR despite differences in period and cohort effects of politics. These findings imply the need to encourage adolescents’ political participation in choosing political forces with policies favorable to their own mental health.