Gender Differences in Nonfatal Suicidal Behavior in Pakistan: Significance of Sociocultural Factors

A retrospective case-note analysis was carried out in which the sociodemographic & clinical characteristics of 262 female & 185 male suicidal individuals admitted to a Karachi hospital were compared. Three-quarters of the subjects were under age 30. Compared to men, women were younger & more often married. Both women & men tended to use self-poisoning; women used pesticides more often. The study highlights the need for culture- & gender-specific research on suicidal behaviours in Pakistan. (24 refs.)