Citation

Nisha Nafia, Timaima.B.Tuiketei, Viema.K.Biaukula, Avelina Rokoduru. Fiji Journal of Public Health 2012; 33-38.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Suicide is an important public health issue in Fiji and described as a "chronic epidemic", only recently surpassed by automobile fatalities as the leading cause of death in young people. A total of 1749 people had attempted or completed suicides with an average of 194 per year between 2002 and 2010 as per police records.5 Fiji has maintained one of the highest suicide rates in the world in young Fijian women of Indian descent along the sugar belt areas of Fiji, at one point being cited as the second highest in the world behind rural China8. Ths is a quantitative descriptive retrospective study on all cases of suicide and attempted suicide seen at the Ra Sub divisional Hospital (RSH) from January 2008 to August 2012. Data sources were obtained from the Rakiraki sub divisional hospital mortuary record book, hospital inpatient records and Rakiraki Police Departments' records of all cases of deliberate self harm were also collected in the study period. Th overall prevalence of suicides and attempted suicides in Rakiraki of 0.12%. Ths is relatively a higher prevalence when compared to the national statistics. Thre is a higher predominance of suicides and attempted suicides in the IndoFijians, the youths, and in males as compared to females. Hanging and chemical ingestion were the commonest methods of suicide and attempted suicide in Rakiraki and these should be the main targets for prevention activities. Indo- Fijian females were reported mainly to have attempted suicides whilst Indo-Fijian males predominantly committed suicides in Rakiraki.

Language: en

Keywords

suicide; attempted suicide; pandemic; epidemic