Dorota Lasota1, Witold Pawłowski2, Paweł Krajewski3, Anna Staniszewska1, Krzysztof Goniewicz4, Robert Czerski4, Mariusz Goniewicz5. 1. Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Banacha 1b Street, 02097 Warsaw, Poland. 2. Department of Disaster Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 61 Street, 02091 Warsaw, Poland. 3. Department of Forensic Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Oczki 1 Street, 00001 Warsaw, Poland. 4. Polish Air Force Academy, Dywizjonu 303 35 Street, 08521 Dęblin, Poland. 5. Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Staszica 4-6 Street, 20081 Lublin, Poland.
Abstract
AIMS: An integral part of the World Health Organization (WHO) plan to reduce suicide by 10% by 2020 is to identify areas and demographic groups, which should be priority target groups for preventive activities. This study aimed to present the demographic differences between victims of suicide by hanging in the Warsaw metropolitan area, in Poland, by examining the sobriety of victims. METHODS: Data for analysis were obtained from the documentation of the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM) at the Medical University of Warsaw (MUW). The retrospective analysis included 358 out of 466 victims of suicides by hanging in the Warsaw metropolitan area, in Poland, recorded in the DFM documentation covering 2011-2013. The data gathered included age, gender, the cause of death, a post-mortem examination as well as the level of ethanol in the blood and muscles of victims. RESULTS: In both groups, men accounted for a larger percentage of victims than women, P = 0.068. In the no-alcohol group, the victims were older than in the alcohol group (47.52 ± 19.21 vs. 40.88 ± 12.77) (P < 0.001). The majority of the studied population were victims aged 25-34 (22.90%), mainly men (20.95%). Young men were also the largest group among victims in the alcohol group (28.33%). The most numerous age group among no-alcohol group were older victims aged 55-64 (19.10%), especially men (16.29%). CONCLUSION: Regardless of sobriety, men were the largest group of suicide victims in the study population, which means that men die suicide more often than women. Differences in gender proportions are related to age. In the studied population, it was primarily young victims, mainly men. These are the groups that should be priority target groups for preventive activities aimed at reducing the number of suicides. The presence of ethanol in more than half of the victims of suicide in the study population indicates that alcohol is an important suicidal risk factor.
AIMS: An integral part of the World Health Organization (WHO) plan to reduce suicide by 10% by 2020 is to identify areas and demographic groups, which should be priority target groups for preventive activities. This study aimed to present the demographic differences between victims of suicide by hanging in the Warsaw metropolitan area, in Poland, by examining the sobriety of victims. METHODS: Data for analysis were obtained from the documentation of the Department of Forensic Medicine (DFM) at the Medical University of Warsaw (MUW). The retrospective analysis included 358 out of 466 victims of suicides by hanging in the Warsaw metropolitan area, in Poland, recorded in the DFM documentation covering 2011-2013. The data gathered included age, gender, the cause of death, a post-mortem examination as well as the level of ethanol in the blood and muscles of victims. RESULTS: In both groups, men accounted for a larger percentage of victims than women, P = 0.068. In the no-alcohol group, the victims were older than in the alcohol group (47.52 ± 19.21 vs. 40.88 ± 12.77) (P < 0.001). The majority of the studied population were victims aged 25-34 (22.90%), mainly men (20.95%). Young men were also the largest group among victims in the alcohol group (28.33%). The most numerous age group among no-alcohol group were older victims aged 55-64 (19.10%), especially men (16.29%). CONCLUSION: Regardless of sobriety, men were the largest group of suicide victims in the study population, which means that men die suicide more often than women. Differences in gender proportions are related to age. In the studied population, it was primarily young victims, mainly men. These are the groups that should be priority target groups for preventive activities aimed at reducing the number of suicides. The presence of ethanol in more than half of the victims of suicide in the study population indicates that alcohol is an important suicidal risk factor.
Authors: Anna Staniszewska; Dorota Lasota; Aleksandra Kielan; Anna Brytek-Matera Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-02-18 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Dorota Lasota; Ahmed Al-Wathinani; Paweł Krajewski; Dagmara Mirowska-Guzel; Krzysztof Goniewicz; Attila J Hertelendy; Riyadh A Alhazmi; Witold Pawłowski; Amir Khorram-Manesh; Mariusz Goniewicz Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-09-24 Impact factor: 3.390