Deliberate self-harm and suicide by pesticide ingestion in the Sundarban region, India

The clinical epidemiology, including case fatality & determinants of self-harm, were examined in six island blocks of the Sundarban region of West Bengal, India. The clinical records of 1277 patients admitted to hospital for deliberate self-harm between 1999-2001 were examined. Women accounted for 65.2% of deliberate self-harm admissions & 67.1% of the deaths. Pesticides were the most commonly used means. The higher lethality of pesticide ingestion compared to other methods was suggestive but not significant. Case records & management of deliberate self-harm were poor. (36 refs.) JA

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