Year: 2009 Source: Tropical Medicine and International Health, v.14, no.7, (July 2009), p.761-765 SIEC No: 20110110

Community-based surveillance over a period of 2 years recorded cases of suicide & attempted suicide in a population of 108,000 people living in a primarily rural area of southern India. The overall suicide rate was 71.4 per 100,000 population; the highest burden was among men. 31% of victims died by self-poisoning & 80% of these cases obstained the poisonous substance in or in close proximity to their home. Of the 110 fatal & non-fatal self-poisoning cases, 87 were taken for treatment. 31 of the patients who eventually died were alive after 4 hours, providing an incentive to focus on improved case management & access to health services. (16 refs.) JA

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