ABSTRACT
Background: Deliberate self-harm is a complex behavior of maladaptive response to acute and chronic stress, and likely to be suffering from mental health problems as well as co-morbid general medical conditions, including several non-suicidal intentions to suicide. Deliberate self-harm was previously included in suicide. Sir Thomas Browne first used the word ‘Suicide’ in 1642 in his religion Medici. The word suicide originated from SUI (of oneself) & CAEDES (murder). According to WHO ‘Suicide’ refers to the act of killing oneself intentionally, performed by the person with full knowledge or expectation of the fatal outcome. This study aimed to analyze the pattern of psychiatric disorders among patients with deliberate self-harm. This study aimed to analyze the socio-demographic correlation among patients with deliberate self-harm. Material & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Medicine; emergency & OPD, Rangpur Medical College, Rangpur, Bangladesh. The study duration was 1 year; July 2012- June 2013. A total of 116 deliberate self-harm cases were included in this study as per the inclusion criteria. A convenience sampling technique was undertaken in this study. Results: The correlation of age, sex, economic status, religion, educational status, occupation, marital status, family history of mental illness, previous H/O mental illness, previous H/O physical illness, nature of stress factors, and the total number of DSH was significant between psychiatric disorder and co-morbid general medical condition. Conclusion: There was a significant correlation between sociodemographic parameters among the patients with deliberate self-harm. Bangladesh is a country with a cultural heritage of thousands of years. Traditional values, and social and family bonding are the characteristics of the culture. Traditional value systems are being declined gradually due to the influence of western culture. The social structure is in a period of transition that is characterized by the waning of family ties and social support as well as an increase in urbanization and modernization. This factor together with psychiatric and co-morbid general medical conditions plays an important role in deliberate self-harm