Bradley H Wagenaar1,2, Manuela Raunig-Berhó1, Vasco Cumbe3,4, Deepa Rao1,5, Manuel Napúa6, Kenneth Sherr1,2. 1. 1 Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 2. 2 Health Alliance International, Seattle, WA, USA. 3. 3 Sofala Provincial Health Directorate, Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Beira, Mozambique. 4. 4 Beira Central Hospital, Department of Medicine, Psychiatric Services, Beira, Mozambique. 5. 5 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. 6. 6 Beira Operations Research Center, Ministry of Health, Beira, Mozambique.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mozambique was recently estimated to have the highest suicide rate in Africa. AIMS: To fill a knowledge gap on suicide attempts and deaths in Mozambique. METHOD: We reviewed a census of 898 emergency psychiatric consultations from March 2013 to July 2014 and 1,173 violent death autopsy records from June 2011 to August 2014 at Beira Central Hospital in Sofala, Mozambique. RESULTS: In all, 18.0% of emergency psychiatric consultations were suicide attempts. Females were disproportionately represented (68.3%, p < .001), and the mean age was 26.8 years. Rat poison was used in 66% of attempts, followed by unspecified methods (19.8%), and unspecified poisoning (6.8%). Of the violent death autopsies, 10% were suicides. Suicide deaths were more likely to be male (67.3%, p < .001), and the mean age was 30.8 years. Common methods were hanging (43.2%), unspecified substance (28.0%), or rat poison (26.3%). Common places of death were the hospital or hospital transit (46.4%) and the household (35.7%). Female suicide deaths more often involved toxic substances and males more often employed hanging. CONCLUSION: Females more often present with suicide attempts, but deaths due to suicide are more frequent among males. Females more often use toxic substances, whereas males more often use lethal methods, such as hanging. Policies to reduce the availability or toxicity of rat poison should be considered.
BACKGROUND: Mozambique was recently estimated to have the highest suicide rate in Africa. AIMS: To fill a knowledge gap on suicide attempts and deaths in Mozambique. METHOD: We reviewed a census of 898 emergency psychiatric consultations from March 2013 to July 2014 and 1,173 violent death autopsy records from June 2011 to August 2014 at Beira Central Hospital in Sofala, Mozambique. RESULTS: In all, 18.0% of emergency psychiatric consultations were suicide attempts. Females were disproportionately represented (68.3%, p < .001), and the mean age was 26.8 years. Rat poison was used in 66% of attempts, followed by unspecified methods (19.8%), and unspecifiedpoisoning (6.8%). Of the violent death autopsies, 10% were suicides. Suicide deaths were more likely to be male (67.3%, p < .001), and the mean age was 30.8 years. Common methods were hanging (43.2%), unspecified substance (28.0%), or rat poison (26.3%). Common places of death were the hospital or hospital transit (46.4%) and the household (35.7%). Female suicide deaths more often involved toxic substances and males more often employed hanging. CONCLUSION: Females more often present with suicide attempts, but deaths due to suicide are more frequent among males. Females more often use toxic substances, whereas males more often use lethal methods, such as hanging. Policies to reduce the availability or toxicity of rat poison should be considered.
Entities:
Keywords:
Mozambique; epidemiology; mental health systems; methods of suicide; suicide attempts
Authors: Flemming Konradsen; Ravi Pieris; Manjula Weerasinghe; Wim van der Hoek; Michael Eddleston; Andrew H Dawson Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2007-01-26 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Vasco F J Cumbe; Maria Nélia Manaca; Dana L Atkins; Alberto Muanido; Leecreesha Hicks; Maria A Oquendo; Jair de Jesus Mari; Bradley H Wagenaar Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2022-06-23 Impact factor: 4.144