Background: Suicide is one of the most serious social and public health problems in the world. Around 800,000 people expire owing to suicide every year. Yet, these deaths are preventable. In India, suicide is one among the top 10 major causes of death, with a rate of 9.74 per one lakh population.
Objective: To study the sociodemographic characteristics of persons admitted with suicidal attempts and to find out the factors associated with it.
Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out at Adichunchanagiri Hospital and Research Center, a rural tertiary-care hospital, Mandya, Karnataka during the period between July 2014 and January 2015. All persons, both male and female subjects, admitted to emergency wards were owing to suicidal attempts during the study period. A total of 196 patients were included in the study. Data were collected by using semistructured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software version, 20.0. Results were presented using percentages and proportions. The X2-test was applied to find the association between different parameters.
Result: There were totally 196 suicidal attempts common among male subjects (54.6%) and in the second decade (46.4%). Most of them were married (55.1%) and from lower socioeconomic class (68.9%). The most common mode of attempting suicide was by organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) ingestion (46.4%), and the common factors were family problems (50.5%), followed by financial problems (19.4%). A significant association was found between male alcoholic attempters and ingestion of OPCs (p < 0.02).
Conclusion: The factors associated with suicidal attempts were family problems, low socioeconomic status, and alcoholism. Most of them are preventable and controllable.
Key words: Suicidal attempts, rural, Karnataka
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