@article{ref1,
title="Paraquat Intoxication in Subjects Who Attempt Suicide: Why They Chose Paraquat",
journal="Korean journal of internal medicine",
year="2009",
author="Seok, Su-Jin and Gil, Hyo-Wook and Jeong, Du-Shin and Yang, Jong-Oh and Lee, Eun-Young and Hong, Sae-Yong",
volume="",
number="",
pages="247-251",
abstract="BACKGROUND/AIMS: Paraquat (PQ) has been used in suicide attempts; an estimated 2,000 toxic ingestions occur annually, with 60-70% mortality. We sought to determine why PQ is such a common agent for suicide attempts in Korea. <br><br>METHODS: We analyzed 250 cases (143 males, 107 females) of attempted suicide by PQ ingestion from January to December 2007. The procurement of the PQ was divided into two categories: purchased and preexisting. <br><br>RESULTS: Men were more likely to have purchased PQ than women (66% vs. 22%, p=0.042). Additionally, men were more likely to be unmarried (n=34, 23.9% vs. n=10, 9.3%) or divorced or separated (n=16, 11.3% vs. n=5, 4.6%) than the women (p<0.001). The group who intentionally selected PQ (38.4%) consisted of 96 cases (54 males, 42 females) and the group who did not intentionally select PQ (61.6%) included 154 cases (89 males, 65 females). The incidence of PQ purchase was higher in the intentional selection PQ group (46.9% vs. 18.2%, p<0.01). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Only 38% of patients who attempted suicide with PQ intentionally selected PQ. Thus, greater control of PQ availability is needed, especially in patients at risk.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1226-3303",
doi="10.3904/kjim.2009.24.3.247",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2009.24.3.247"
}