Citation

Bansal PD, Barman R. J. Clin. Diagn. Res. 2011; 5(3): 601-604.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, JCDR Prepublishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Man's attempt to harm himself or to end his lifeis probably as old as himself. Even then, this topic fascinatesresearchers and it continues to be one of the most talkedabout, written and discussed subjects, but it still is an enigma.Deliberate self harm (DSH) is common; however, there is scantydata on this issue from India.

OBJECTIVES: To study the socio-demographic and the clinicalprofiles of the subjects who had the tendency to deliberatelyself harm themselves.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was performedfor a period of 1 year in a medical college and researchinstitute in north India. The data were recorded in an especiallydesigned proforma which documented the socio-demographicvariables, psychiatric illnesses, psychosocial stress factors,past and family history and the details of the suicide attempt.Chi-square, Fisher exact, and t tests were used to note thestatistically significant associations.

RESULTS: Younger people <25 years of age (53%) predominatedin the study. Females (58%) outnumbered the males (42%). Mostof the DSH patients were married and housewives, and werefrom urban and low socioeconomic backgrounds. A majorityof the patients were 1st time attempters, they had no familyhistory and they used poison as the most preferred method.Half of the patients (50%) had psychiatric illness which waspredominated by depression (36%). Family quarrel (32%) andmarital disharmony (17%) were found to be the most commonprecipitating factors for DSH.

CONCLUSION: Population based prospective studies, awarenessprograms, preventive measures and proper psychiatric referralsystems should be built up to decrease the incidence ofself harm.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; adult; human; burn; female; male; Poisoning; India; incidence; depression; Suicide attempt; program development; risk factor; awareness; morbidity; article; major clinical study; controlled study; disease association; health program; sex ratio; socioeconomics; marriage; automutilation; social psychology; self poisoning; social status; Parasuicide; demography; medical school; Deliberate self harm; family conflict; Intentional self harm