Suicidal attempts and self‐poisoning: 1‐year retrospective cohort study from the quaternary hospital in Thai metropolitan area

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims In Thailand, suicide is the leading cause of death among middle‐aged adults. We believe suicide characteristics depend on different cultural/socioeconomic status. This study aimed to describe the characteristics and associated factors of suicidal attempts by self‐poisoning in Bangkok, the metropolitan city of Thailand. Methods Records of all patients visiting the emergency department of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, with self‐poisoning suicidal attempts throughout 2021 were collected and analyzed. Results Self‐poisoning accounted for 110 attempts (by 74 patients). Females aged 11–30 were the most prevalent group. Pharmaceutical agents were commonly used. Most patients (86.4%) had underlying psychiatric illness(es), mostly major depressive disorder. Female, history of psychiatric illness and follow‐ups, personality comorbid, and previous attempts reached statistical significance by univariate regression for factors associated with reattempting suicide, but only personality comorbid was significant from multivariable study (p = 0.02). Reattempting mostly recurred within 8 days after the prior attempt. Conclusion Majority of self‐poisoned patients in Bangkok were young adults taking medications, which differs from the overall Thai population where most instances involve patients of older patients (30–50 years) and ingestion of agricultural substances. Appropriate strategies are needed for specific psychosocial/socioeconomic contexts and within the critical period after previous nonfatal attempts.

Keywords

• intentional overdose
• overdose
• poisoning
• self‐poisoning
• suicidal attempt
• suicide