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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Stress is one of the three major risk factors of suicide, along with altered mental state and access to suicidemeans. There is scant data from Nepal about the stressors being common among suicide attempters.
OBJECTIVE: To identify common stressors among suicide attempters visiting a psychiatric service in Eastern Nepal
Methodology: It is a hospital based descriptive study looking into stressors as revealed by patients and care-takers in psychiatric assessment. All patients consulting the investigating psychiatristteam within study period (12 months, 2011) were enrolled after informed consent. During detailed work-up; suicidal state was ascertained, relevant information were recorded in the proforma and an intensive qualitative exploration was made in all subjects into the stressors present during the time of suicide-attempt.
RESULTS: Fifty seven percent of subjects (66/115) were female, 70% (80/115) married and 88% (101/115) from rural and semiurban settings. Average age was 29.68 years. Nearly one fifth was illiterate or barely literate. Poisoning was the most common mode of suicide attempt. About 75% (86/115) had at least one ICD- 10 mental disorder. 'Stress related disorder' was present in 13% (15/115). In a great majority (112/115), at least one stressor was reported. The most commonly revealed stressor was interpersonal conflict, dispute or quarrel (72/115), followed by the stressor related to subject's health issues, e.g. illness, treatment cost. Some cases reported easy access to suicide means as a risk factor.
CONCLUSION: Interpersonal dispute, health problems and easy access to suicide means were reported as common stressor/factors among suicide attempters.
Language: en |