Citation

Werneck GL, Hasselmann MH, Phebo LB, Vieira DE, Gomes VLO. Cad. Saude Publica 2006; 22(10): 2201-2206.

Vernacular Title

Tentativas de suicidio em um hospital geral no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Affiliation

Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Escola Nacional De Saude Publica)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16951892

Abstract

Previous suicide attempts are an important predictor of both repeated attempts and suicide. This paper presents the profile of patients who had attempted suicide and were admitted to a general hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From April 2001 to March 2002, 160 suicide attempts were recorded (68% women; 26% adolescents). Ingestion of pesticides and prescription drugs were the two most common methods used. The two methods had been used by similar numbers of women, while two-thirds of men had used pesticides. As for prevalence of factors associated with attempted suicide, 21% of patients had been in contact with health services within 30 days prior to the event, 28% mentioned previous suicide attempts, and 23% reported other cases of suicide or attempts in the family. Despite the limited data in Brazil, suicide attempts appear to be an important health problem, particularly among youth. Surveillance systems for suicide attempts could help expand knowledge on this problem.

Language: pt