Causes of suicide and suicide attempt in Chipata District, Zambia

Suicide and suicidal behaviour affects citizens of both developed and developing nations. Until contextual causes and risk factors are understood and plan drawn with targeted interventions, suicide and suicidal behaviour has potential to spiral out of control. The objective of this study was to explore causes of suicide and suicide behaviour in Chipata District, Zambia. […]

The role of alcohol use in pesticide suicide and self‑harm: A scoping review

Purpose: Suicide and self-harm by pesticide self-poisoning is common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Alcohol is an important risk factor for self-harm; however, little is known about its role in pesticide self-poisoning. This scoping review explores the role that alcohol plays in pesticide self-harm and suicide. Methods: The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review […]

Banning highly hazardous pesticides saves the lives of young people, particularly females, in low‑ and middle‑income countries

Pesticide self-poisoning is a public health problem mostly affecting low- and middle-income countries. In Sri Lanka, India and China suicide rates have reduced among young people, particularly females, following highly hazardous pesticides (HHP) bans. This success story requires attention to encourage more research on differential effects of HHP bans.

Bans of WHO Class I pesticides in Bangladesh: Suicide prevention without hampering agricultural output

Background Pesticide self-poisoning is a major problem in Bangladesh. Over the past 20-years, the Bangladesh government has introduced pesticide legislation and banned highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) from agricultural use. We aimed to assess the impacts of pesticide bans on suicide and on agricultural production. Methods We obtained data on unnatural deaths from the Statistics Division […]

Pesticides and passion: A qualitative psychological autopsy study of suicide in Guyana

Background The suicide rate in Guyana has consistently ranked in the top ten globally, yet there is only limited literature related to the context in which these suicides occur. This study aims to better understand the psychosocial circumstances and characteristics of suicides in Guyana. Methods This case series study utilised a qualitative psychological autopsy method. […]

Outcome of rodenticide poisoning and its associated factors among adult patients admitted with rodenticide poisoning at the emergency unit of Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Debre Tabor, North Central Ethiopia

Introduction: Rodenticides are pesticides used to eradicate rodents. It is a common reason for visits to the emergency department and hospitalization, and it is a major public health concern. Intentional or unintentional intoxication can result in severe consequences with a high fatality rate. In Ethiopia, studies on the outcome of rodenticide poisoning are scarce. The goal […]

The role of alcohol use in pesticide suicide and self-harm: A scoping review

Purpose: Suicide and self-harm by pesticide self-poisoning is common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Alcohol is an important risk factor for self-harm; however, little is known about its role in pesticide self-poisoning. This scoping review explores the role that alcohol plays in pesticide self-harm and suicide. Methods: The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review […]

Assessment of the sociodemographic profile, pattern, and outcomes of intentional poisoning cases in an emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital: A prospective study

Background: Intentional self-poisoning has become a major health problem in low- and middle-income countries. Aims: We aimed to assess the sociodemographic profile, pattern, and outcomes of intentional poisoning cases in the emergency department of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Method: A prospective observational study was conducted at the department of emergency medicine of a South Indian tertiary care hospital for […]

Comparative epidemiology of suicide in South Korea and Japan: Effects of age, gender and suicide methods

Background: Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality in both South Korea and Japan. Aims: The study aims to compare the descriptive epidemiology of suicide over the last two decades (1985-2006) and to explore the conditions associated with the different distribution of suicides in both countries. Methods: Age-standardized suicide rates were obtained from the OECD Health […]

Suicide by pesticide poisoning: Findings from the island of Crete, Greece

Background: The role of pesticides in suicidal acts has not yet received adequate attention in Greece despite an evident rise of 39% in pesticide use over the period 1990-1992 to 2002-2004. Aims: To investigate the epidemiology of pesticide suicide on the Greek island of Crete, a largely rural agricultural area, and by further exploring the victim profiles, […]

The use of pesticides in suicide attempts in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey

Objective: In parallel with common usage areas, pesticide poisonings are encountered in the community due to reasons such as no wearing of protective clothing and masks during use, unintentional consumption and  suicide-intended intake. In this study was aimed to examine the cases who applied to the emergency department with pesticide poisoning and share of suicide […]

The cost-effectiveness of banning highly hazardous pesticides to prevent suicides due to pesticide self-ingestion across 14 countries: An economic modelling study

Background Reducing suicides is a key Sustainable Development Goal target for improving global health. Highly hazardous pesticides are among the leading causes of death by suicide in low-income and middle-income countries. National bans of acutely toxic highly hazardous pesticides have led to substantial reductions in pesticide-attributable suicides across several countries. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness […]

Emerging pesticides responsible for suicide in rural Sir Lanka following the 2008-2014 pesticide bans

Background Sri Lanka has reduced its overall suicide rate by 70% over the last two decades through regulation of a series of agricultural pesticides. We aimed to identify the key pesticide(s) now responsible for suicides in rural Sri Lanka to provide data for further pesticide regulation. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of data collected […]

Outcomes of community-based suicide prevention approaches that involve reducing access to pesticides: A systematic literature review

Objective Pesticide ingestion is among the most commonly utilized means of suicide worldwide. Restricting access to pesticides at a local level is one strategy to address this major public health problem, but little is known about its effectiveness. We therefore conducted a systematic literature review to identify effective community‐based suicide prevention approaches that involve restricting […]

Potential interventions for preventing pesticides self-poisoning by restricting access through vendors in Sri Lanka

Background: In South Asia, up to one in five individuals who use pesticides for self-harm purchase them immediately prior to the event. Aims: From reviewing the literature we proposed four interventions: (a) farmer identification cards (ID); (b) prescriptions; (c) cooling-off periods; and (d) training pesticide vendors. We aimed to identify the most promising intervention. Method: The study was conducted in […]

The burden of acute pesticide poisoning and pesticide regulation in Korea

Background This study aimed to estimate the burden of acute pesticide poisoning and to determine its trend with recently implemented pesticide regulations. Go to: Methods Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were calculated as the sum of years of life lost (YLLs) and years lived with disability (YLDs) due to acute pesticide poisoning using the methods of the […]

The impact of pesticide regulations on suicide in Sri Lanka.

Background Between 1950 and 1995 suicide rates in Sri Lanka increased eight fold to a peak of 47 per 100,000 in 1995. By 2005 rates had halved. Our aim was to evaluate whether Sri Lanka’s regulatory controls on the import and sale of pesticides that are particularly toxic to humans were responsible for these changes […]

Cost-effectiveness analyses of self-harm strategies at reducing the mortality of pesticide self-poisonings in Sri Lanka: A study protocol.

An estimated 803 900 people worldwide died as a result of self-harm in 2012. The deliberate ingestion of pesticides has been identified as the method most frequently used to commit fatal self-harm globally. In Sri Lanka, it is estimated that up to 60% of all suicides are committed using this method. The aim of the present […]

Cost-effectiveness analyses of self-harm strategies aimed at reducing the mortality of pesticide self-poisonings in Sri Lanka: A study protocol.

An estimated 803 900 people worldwide died as a result of self-harm in 2012. The deliberate ingestion of pesticides has been identified as the method most frequently used to commit fatal self-harm globally. In Sri Lanka, it is estimated that up to 60% of all suicides are committed using this method. The aim of the present […]

Paraquat prohibition and change in suicide rate and methods in South Korea.

The annual suicide rate in South Korea is the highest among the developed countries. Paraquat is a highly lethal herbicide, commonly used in South Korea as a means for suicide. We have studied the effect of the 2011 paraquat prohibition on the national suicide rate and method of suicide in South Korea. We obtained the […]

Non-fatal self-poisoning in Sri Lanka: Associated triggers and motivations.

Attempted or non-fatal self-poisoning is common in Sri Lanka. To date, most preventive strategies have focused on limitation of access to toxic pesticides, which has reduced the rates of fatal self-poisoning. However the ongoing phenomenon of non-fatal self-poisoning indicates the need for exploration of alternate preventive strategies. Self-poisoning in Sri Lanka has been described as […]

Suicide methods in Singapore(2000-2004): Types and associations.

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The impact of pesticide suicide on the geographic distribution of suicide in Taiwan: A spatial analysis.

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