Archives of Mental Health (Jan 2017)
A study of methods used by adolescent suicide attempters in rural South Inida
Abstract
Background: As per the World Health Organization, India has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Aims: Our study aims to explore the characteristics of child and adolescent suicides, focussing on common methods used, and the socio-economic and literacy status of this particularly vulnerable population. Methodology: It was a retrospective, explorative-descriptive, cross-sectional, case register study of paediatric inpatients admitted between January 2013 to December 2015. Medico-legal records of paediatric inpatients aged between 12 to 18 years with a diagnosis of suicide attempt were studied (n-80). Descriptive statistics were performed using SPSS version 16 and the correlation between age, socio-economic and educational status each with methods used for attempting suicide was analysed using chi square test for statistical significance. Results: The most common modes of suicide attempted were organo-phosphorous compound poisoning (47.5%), unknown compound poisoning (13.8%) followed by overdose of prescription medications (12.5%), and hanging (6.8%). The majority of the suicide attempters were females (60%) and belonged to the lower socio-economic status (66.6%). The mean age of the attempters was 15.35 years. The largest group belonged to those studying in high school ( 33.8%) , followed closely by school dropouts/illiterates(25%). Conclusion: Our study concluded that in a South Indian rural adolescent population the most common methods employed for suicide attempts are poisonings, with the majority of the attempters belonging to the female gender, lower socioeconomic status and high school students or school dropouts and illiterates.
