OBJECTIVE: To record cases of suicide and attempted suicide among a population of 108 000 people living in a primarily rural area of southern India, with the aim of guiding policies and strategies to restrict access to poisonous compounds at community level. METHOD: Community-based surveillance over a period of 2 years. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The overall suicide rate was 71.4 per 100 000 population; the highest burden was among men. Most people died through hanging (81, 54%) and self-poisoning (46, 31%). Of the 46 who died from self-poisoning, 78.3% had taken pesticides and 19.7% had eaten poisonous plants. Eighty per cent of the self-poisoning cases obtained the poisonous substance in or in close proximity to the home, highlighting the importance of safe storage in the domestic environment. Of the 110 fatal and non-fatal self-poisoning cases, 87 (57.5%) were taken for treatment; 50 (57.4%) went to government hospitals and 37 (42.5%) to private facilities. This indicates the importance of including the private sector in the efforts to improve case management. Furthermore, the fact that 31 (67%) of the self-poisoning patients, who eventually died, were alive after 4 h provides an incentive to focus on improved case management and access to health services.
OBJECTIVE: To record cases of suicide and attempted suicide among a population of 108 000 people living in a primarily rural area of southern India, with the aim of guiding policies and strategies to restrict access to poisonous compounds at community level. METHOD: Community-based surveillance over a period of 2 years. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The overall suicide rate was 71.4 per 100 000 population; the highest burden was among men. Most people died through hanging (81, 54%) and self-poisoning (46, 31%). Of the 46 who died from self-poisoning, 78.3% had taken pesticides and 19.7% had eaten poisonous plants. Eighty per cent of the self-poisoning cases obtained the poisonous substance in or in close proximity to the home, highlighting the importance of safe storage in the domestic environment. Of the 110 fatal and non-fatal self-poisoning cases, 87 (57.5%) were taken for treatment; 50 (57.4%) went to government hospitals and 37 (42.5%) to private facilities. This indicates the importance of including the private sector in the efforts to improve case management. Furthermore, the fact that 31 (67%) of the self-poisoningpatients, who eventually died, were alive after 4 h provides an incentive to focus on improved case management and access to health services.
Authors: Fahim Mohamed; Gamini Manuweera; David Gunnell; Shifa Azher; Michael Eddleston; Andrew Dawson; Flemming Konradsen Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2009-11-05 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Ramazan Koylu; Zerrin Defne Dundar; Oznur Koylu; Emine Akinci; Nazire Belgin Akilli; Mustafa Onder Gonen; Basar Cander Journal: J Clin Med Res Date: 2013-12-13
Authors: Mark J D Jordans; Anne Kaufman; Natassia F Brenman; Ramesh P Adhikari; Nagendra P Luitel; Wietse A Tol; Ivan Komproe Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2014-12-24 Impact factor: 3.630