Time Series Analysis of Indian Suicides: Correlation with Human Development Index (HDI).

Background: Th ere was an increasing trend for suicide Objective: To examine the trend and relationship between Indian Suicide Rates and Human Development Index (HDI). Method: Trends of Suicide rates and HDI values were evaluated by moving averages time series analysis (ARIMA Model). S. Rate and HDI were subjected to Pearson Correlation Coeffi cient and Spearman’s ρ. Results: Th ere was an increasing trend for both the parameters with minor exceptions in suicide rates. Signifi cant correlation between suicide rates and HDI values were found. Conclusion: Th e notion that suicide and development were related found support. It warrants further analysis into contribution of individual components of HDI.

Suicide Rate Computation - Methodological Inexactitude.

Introduction: Suicide rates are computed on the basis of whole population without taking into consideration the cognitive capacity of children to appreciate death. This study was undertaken to find out the variability in suicide rate if children of various ages are excluded from computation of suicide rate Method: Suicide rates were computed taking the at risk population of India-above 6 yrs, 7 yrs, 8 yrs, and 9 yrs for the period 1991-2013, suicide data from the National Crimes Bureau statistics on Accidental Deaths and Suicides of Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India. The data was analyzed for percentage increase for various ages. Results: Depending upon the cut-off age the rate increase over a twenty-three year period was from 11.2 to 14.6 and the percent increase was 16.1-33.7. Conclusion: A standardized definition of suicide and a thorough debate on child’s concept of death and ability to decide to decide on death across various cultures and regions is needed to understand the enormity of suicide.

Suicidal hanging: A prospective study.

The objective of this study was to focus on various factors associated with suicide by hanging at Chennai, India; with a view to identify the areas of intervention. A prospective study was carried out on 65 cases of death due to suicide by hanging which was received by the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Madras Medical College, Chennai, India, during the period of August 2008- July 2009. In the present study, 84.7%% of the cases were below the age of 40years, time of hanging in 50.8% of the cases was 3am-12noon, place of hanging in 95.5% of the cases was their residence, 92.3% were living with their family and 69.2% were married. Most frequent precipitating factors were marital unhappiness (33.8%), problems associated with organic disease (18.5%) and dowry harassment (16.8%). To reduce the incidence of suicides by hanging, there is urgent need to focus on these factors.

Study of profile of deaths due to poisoning in Bhavnagar region.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the pattern of poisoning deaths in Bhavnagar region of Gujarat. The Paper presents the study of 143 cases of poisoning during the span of one year from 01/04/2008 to 31/03/2009. Out of 878 Post mortem examination done during the study period 143 cases were of poisoning. The cases were then analyzed on various parameters in the proforma prepared for this purpose. We concluded that majority of victims were married, Hindu, males from rural area and low socioeconomic group. The incidence of poisoning was more common during 21-30years of life. Suicidal cases were more common than accidental cases. No case of homicidal poisoning was detected in present study, chemical analysis of viscera done in 122 cases. Insecticide still topped the list as killer, while Aluminium phosphide & snake bite was second common fatal poisoning.

Original research paper epidemiological profile of suicide by hanging in southern parts of Kerala: An autopsy based study.

Suicide rate is increasing all over the world; but the rate is disproportionately higher in Kerala. One hundred and eighty one cases of known dead bodies of both genders brought for medico-legal autopsy with history of suicide by hanging, were studied at the Department of Forensic Medicine, State Medico Legal Institute, Government Medical College, Thruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. There was a male preponderance in the study group (71.3%) and majority of males were young or middle aged (82.1%) whereas females were adolescents or young adults (73.1%). Among the males, only 2.3% were farmers. Alcoholism was noted in 75.2% of males. Immediate psychological problems were the reason for suicide in 33.7% of cases, majority of them being married (55.8%). Soft materials, that were easily available, were used as ligatures (48.6%) which were tightened around neck by slip knots (58%) on the sides of neck (53%).

Suicidal acid injury: A case report.

Deaths from exposure to caustic substances are infrequently reported in the Forensic Medicine literature. A case of death due to Sulphuric acid ingestion in a patient of Major Depressive Disorder is being reported. This patient was planned for Electro-convulsive therapy, prior to the procedure he had been to bathroom. And when planned to prepare for the procedure on the ECT table, his mouth has smell of pungent odour. This made the psychiatrist to withhold the procedure and subjected him for observation. Later he complained of severe chest pain and restlessness, for which he has been shifted to emergency ward with possible precautions taken before shifting. He was provisionally diagnosed of acid ingestion but there was no history either from patient or from his relatives, as patient has consumed in the bathroom just before the Electro convulsive therapy. Diagnosis was confirmed only after autopsy report. The legal issues concerning suicide in mentally ill patient, autopsy findings, forensic issues and Patho-physiology concerning death by acid ingestion have been discussed.

A study of serum cholinesterase levels in organo phosphorous poisoning cases.

The study period is 11 months that is from 01-01-2007 to 28-11-2007, 35 cases of organ phosphorus poisoning were admitted at Mamata General Hospital, khammam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The cases were studied on various epidemiological parameters and Proforma prepared for detailed data. In our study the majority of victims were males, married, Hindu, Literate, from rural area, medium socioeconomic group and common age of victims is 21 to 30 years. The common mode of poisoning is suicidal, one is accidental poison in child and one is occupational as contact poison while spraying .No homicidal poison was reported in our study. Majority victims have consumed poison in day time, commonly abused poison is monochrotophos, and approximate amount of poison consumed by majority of the victims is 250 ml to 500 ml and majority were admitted within 3 to 6 hours of consumption of poison. The common motive of poisoning was suicidal in both male [24 cases] and female [10 cases], especially young victims from rural domicile with agricultural occupation. The majority of victims consumed poison in summer followed by winter season. The probable reason is rain dependent agricultural occupation, unemployment, joint family and medium socioeconomic status of population of this area.

An epidemiological study of organophosphorus poisoning at manipal teaching hospital, Pokhara, Nepal.

Organophosphorus compounds are chemical compounds containing carbon-phosphorus bonds (apart from phosphate and phosphite esters), primarily used in pest control and are often persistent organic pollutants. Acute poisoning by organophosphorus (OP) compounds is a major global clinical problem, with thousands of deaths occurring every year in Nepal. Most of these pesticide poisoning and subsequent deaths occur due to deliberate self ingestion of the poison. Sixty five patients with severe organophosphorus poisoning were admitted to the emergency ward of Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal from January 2008 to December 2008. History of ingestion, clinical signs & symptoms and survival time in case of death was also recorded to diagnose the OP poisoning. The mean age of patients was about 27 years. Most of the admitted cases were of suicidal in nature and women are the main victim. Suicidal deaths due to ingestion of organophosphorus compound are very common in Nepal especially in women. The reason may be the increasing stress in the family and economic constraints. Further study should be needed by government and NGO to evaluate it.

Suicide in youth: shifting paradigm.

In today’s scenario high occupational mobility, high ambition and desire for high standard of living is leading to high incidence of suicidal deaths. Nowadays suicidal gesture, attempted suicide & well successful suicide cases are seen in the society often on. A prospective cum retrospective study is carried out in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Hospital, Jaipur w.e.f. 2004- 2008. In this period out of total 627 autopsies performed, 223 were found as suicidal deaths. In these 223 cases , 88 cases ended their life by poisoning, rest of them in the decreasing order are as follows – Train Run-over (55), Hanging (43), Drowning (20), Alcohol (9), Burn (4), Celphos Poisoning (3), Insecticides Poisoning (1). This clearly indicates that availability of highly lethal suicidal method and rate of suicide are interrelated. During the study we have found three new innovative methods of committing suicide. All three victims were pursuing their professional qualification and will be discussed in this study.

Trends of suicides in north eastern rural Haryana: A retrospective study.

Suicide patterns and rates differ in various populations and cultures. It is known that in most countries that have been studied, more than 90 percent of those who commit suicide have a mental disorder. This behavior, although often triggered by external factors, occurs in vulnerable individuals who have a neurobiological and often familial predisposition. Suicides in rural India are attributed mostly to crushing financial pressures on farmers. Indebtedness, crop failure and the inability to pay back loans due to high rates of interest have led as many as 25,000 peasants in India to commit suicide since the 1990s, according to official figures. The present study was designed to investigate the different methods of self-destruction, age and gender susceptibility to suicide, the groups particularly affected and the underlying motivating factors for such an extreme step among rural North Eastern Haryana people. Various suggestions relating to decreasing the tensions of modern life, proper use and storage of agrochemicals and financial improvement of farmers have been put forward.

Suicidal cut throat - A case report.

Cut throat is not a very common method preferred for committing suicide. Homicidal cut throat is more commonly seen in our country. The common methods used for committing suicide in our country are hanging, consumption of poison, burns, jumping from height, drowning, firearms, stabbing etc. Suicidal incised wounds are found most commonly in the neck and is usually associated with hesitational cut wounds. This paper is presented due to its rarity.

Risco de suicídio: diagnóstico e manejo pelo näo psiquiatra

O autor recolheu na literatura as recomendaçöes que lhe pareceram mais úteis e decisivas para que um médico näo psiquiatra possa contribuir para a prevençäo do suicídio. As sugestöes foram selecionadas, resumidas e sistematizadas com base, principalmente, em sua prática de psiquiatra e de supervisor psiquiátrico em hospital geral de forma a facilitar sua consulta e emprego

Depression and suicide in Egypt

Depression was known in Pharaonic Egypt and we can trace descriptions in odes and poems in some Egyptian papyri [1800 B.C.] [Okasha, 1978]. According to Egyptian beliefs, suicide was irrelevant and so was dealt with on a marginal level. It was asserted that in Africa the majority of manic-depressive illnesses are manic in form. Our study in Egypt did not substantiate these data and less than one in five of our manic-depressive showed a manic picture. A survey in the psychiatric out-patient clinic revealed affective disorders in 24.2% with neurotic depression 10.4%, manic-depression 8.6% and involutional melancholy 5.2% [Okasha, 1977]. Suicidal attempt and suicide were commonest among depressives especially in the young age group. A recent study in Cairo by Okasha et al. [1979] gave a rough estimate of suicide at 4/100, 000 and attempted suicide at 38/100, 000. Crosscultural comparison between Egyptian, Indian and British depressives showed that Egyptians have a significant increase in suicidal tendencies but not in actual suicide or attempted suicide. A survey of suicidal feelings among non-consulting medical students will be discussed