Citation

Yen CF, Lin YH, Hsiao RC, Chen YY, Chen YL. Asian J. Psychiatry 2023; 92: e103889.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103889

PMID

38194725

Abstract

Mental health problems among individuals affected by war have long been a considerable concern (Lim et al., 2022); however, few studies have investigated mental health problems among individuals who have not experienced war but are worried about war (Hajek et al., 2023). In 2023, there have been many military conflicts in Asia. In addition to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, the relationships between North Korea and neighboring countries (e.g., Korea and Japan) as well as between China and neighboring countries (e.g., Philippines and India) have become tense. Given that individuals who face the threat of potential war have a higher risk of depression (Hajek et al., 2023) and suicide (Ahmed and Heun, 2023, Pridmore et al., 2018, Saied et al., 2023, Tandon, 2023), understanding the threats of war perceived by people in Asia can help develop intervention programs for mental health problems.

Taiwan has become a potential hotspot for military conflict in recent years (Ero and Atwood, 2023). Since 2016, tensions began increasing due to conflicting views on Taiwanese identity and China's stance on maintaining a one-China policy. One tangible manifestation of the tensions between Taiwan and China is the increasing military activities conducted by China near Taiwan. Whether China's military activities increase the risk of mental health problems and motivation for emigration among Taiwanese individuals warrants investigation.

The present study investigated the effect of China's aircraft and warships operating near Taiwan on suicide death and Internet searches for suicide, depression, and emigration among individuals in Taiwan.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide; Depression; Taiwan; Emigration; Internet search; Military activities