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.

Riesgo y suicidio en sistemas de puertas abiertas. Responsabilidad civil y aspectos médico legales / [Risk and suicide in open door institutions. Liability and phorensic issues].

Suicide is a complex issue and a source of discussion between different disciplines. Suicide assessment and management research had received a huge attention in the field. Argentina has a legal framework focused on protecting human rights. Malpractice and liability discussion is offered in cases of suicide in psychiatric patients recently admitted to an inpatient setting. Imminent and certain risk of damage is the legal requirement for involuntary psychiatric admission in terms of Mental Health Law in Argentina.

Elementos para una política pública desde la percepción del suicidio en nariño / Elements for a public policy based on the perception of suicide in Nariño

Esta investigación pretende plantear los elementos para una política pública basada en la percepción de las comunidades acerca del suicidio en jóvenes del departamento de Nariño (Colombia). Se realizó un estudio cualitativo a partir de grupos focales y entrevistas individuales con diversos sectores poblacionales en los municipios de Pasto, la Unión, Tumaco e Ipiales. Se analizaron los factores percibidos de protección y de riesgo en los niveles individual, familiar, sociocultural y político, y los resultados se validaron con la población participante. Desde la percepción de los actores sociales, el suicidio es una problemática multideterminada que involucra aspectos cognitivos, relacionales, educativos, económicos, políticos y culturales. Se destaca la necesidad de implementar políticas sociales integradas dirigidas a fomentar factores protectores como el soporte social, la educación integral y la oferta de actividades para el uso del tiempo, e implementar programas que promuevan habilidades y competencias personales, junto con el diseño de estrategias conjuntas para reducir los factores de riesgo.

The objective of this study of community perceptions regarding the suicide of young people in the Department of Nariño (Colombia) was to provide elements for the formulation of a public policy. A qualitative study was carried out on the basis of focal groups and individual interviews with different population sectors in the municipalities of Pasto, la Unión, Tumaco, and Ipiales. Perceived protective and risk factors at the individual, family, socio-cultural, and political levels were analyzed, and the results were validated with the participating population. The social actors perceive suicide as a multi-determined problem that involves cognitive, relational, educational, economic, political, and cultural aspects. The study highlighted the need to implement inclusive social policies aimed at fostering protective factors such as social support, integrated education, and the availability of leisure time activities, and programs that promote personal skills and competences, as well as the need to design joint strategies to reduce risk factors.

Medicolegal aspect of burn victims: a ten years study

To see the prevalence and nature of medico-legal burns among patients. It is a retrospective observational study conducted at Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi from April 1999 to April 2008. All patients of more then ten years of age, irrespective of sex with burn injuries were included in the study. One hundred seventy eight patients were studied and among them one hundred forty six [82.02%] were accidental burns with more prevalence among females [81.50%]. Twenty three [12.92%] patients were having homicidal burns and all were females while nine [5.06%] patients sustained suicidal burns and among them six [66.66%] were females. Majority of patients i.e. one hundred six were from 2nd and 3rd decade of life. Among homicidal injuries twenty one [65.62%] were from flame and two [6.26%] from acid. All suicidal patients sustained flame burns. Females are more commonly involved [66.66%] as compared to males [33.34%]. Homicidal and suicidal burns are not uncommon especially among young women [i.e. 15 to 30 years of age] and every case should not be taken as accident until proved otherwise. A clinical forensic expert or concerned authorities should evaluate all these cases to minimise the likelihood of inaccurate diagnosis

Is attempted suicide an offence.

Life is a stage with one entrance but many exits. Among those, suicide is one exit having a long ancestry. In 1968, the World Health Organization defined suicidal act as “the injury with varying degree of lethal intent” and that suicide may be defined as “a suicidal act with fatal outcome”. World Health Organization labeled, suicidal acts with non-fatal outcome as “attempted suicide.” Suicide has been an act of condemnation as well as commendation through the ages. The act of suicide is forbidden by all the religions. In recent times, attempted suicide, though a failed act has gained more importance (than the suicide, a successful act) since it is considered as an offence and is punishable under Section 309, IPC. A lot of conflicting opinions have generated on the desirability of retaining or deleting Section 309 of Indian Penal Code because of some contrasting judgments given by our Courts. Article 21 of the Constitution of India is a provision guaranteeing protection of life and personal liberty and by no stretch of the imagination can extinction of life be read to be included in protection of life.

Is attempted suicide an offence.

Life is a stage with one entrance but many exits. Among those, suicide is one exit having a long ancestry. In 1968,the World Health Organisation defined suicidal act as "the injury with varying degree of lethal intent" and that suicide may be defined as "a suicidal act with fatal outcome". Suicidal acts with non fatal outcome are labeled by World Health Organisation as "attempted suicide." Suicide has been an act of condemnation as well as commendation through the ages. The act of suicide is forbidden in Khoran and the Holy Bible. The common belief among Hindus is that a person who commits suicide will not attain "Moksha" and his Soul will wander around, haunting and tormenting people. In recent times, attempted suicide, though a failed act has gained more importance (than the suicide, a successful act) since it is considered as an offence and is punishable under Section 309 of Indian Penal Code. A lot of conflicting opinions have generated on the desirability of retaining or deleting Section 309 of Indian Penal Code because of some contrasting judgments given by our Courts. Article 21 of the Constitution of India is a provision guaranteeing protection of life and personal liberty and by no stretch of the imagination can extinction of life be read to be included in protection of life. By declaring an attempt to commit suicide a crime, the Indian Penal Code upholds the dignity of human life, because human life is as precious to the State as it is, to its holder and the State can not turn a blind eye to a person in attempting to kill himself. Another set of people are of the opinion that the Section 309 of Indian Penal Code is cruel and irrational because it provides double punishment for a troubled individual whose deep unhappiness had caused him to try and end his life. It is cruel to inflict additional legal punishment on a person who has already suffered agony and ignominy in his failure to commit suicide. And also, what is the legal status of individuals who, by virtue of their religion refuse food and fast unto death? In India there are innumerable cases wherein religious ascetics fast to death without State intervening and are not punished though such acts amount to attempt to suicide.

Suicides in Imphal.

Out of 4169 cases brought for medicolegal postmortem examination in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal during the period of 1993 to 2002 only 296 (7.10%) were of suicide. Male predominate female and the most commonly adopted method of suicide is hanging (52.03%) followed by poisoning (23.98%). Suicide by firearm was the method of choice among the security personnel. The highest number of suicidal deaths was seen in the age groups of 21-30 yrs (36.48%) and followed by 30-41 years age group (27.36%).

Mortalidad por suicidio en la ciudad de La Paz / Self-mudrder mortality in La Paz city

Pregunta de invesgigación. ¿Hay cambios en la frecuencia y estructura del suicidio en la ciudad de La Paz entre 1992 y 1999?. Objetivo. Determinar si la frecuencia y la conposición de la mortalidad por suicidio en la ciudad de La Paz se han incrementado y/o modificado entre 1992 y 1999. Diseño. Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y comparativo. Método. Datos registrados en la PTJ, y para comparación el estudio publicado por Médicos Consultores (MEDICON) en 1996. Resultados. Hay un incremento tanto absoluto coo relativo de la mortalidad por suicidio en la ciudad de La Paz, entre 1992 y 1999, La tasa estimada para este último año es de 18X10.000 habitantes.

Actitudes ante el suicida, el suicidio asistido y lla eutanasia entre un grupo de juristas / Attitudes toward suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia in a group of lawers

Se investigan las actitudes ante el suicidio, el suicidio asistido y la eutanasia en 43 juristas de Bayamo, Granma, Cuba. El 41,8 por ciento consideró que el suicidio era un derecho personal y el 39,5 por ciento que lo era para cualquier sujeto. Cifras similares opinaron lo contrario. Ningún jurista ayudaría a otra persona a suicidarse y más del 90 por ciento trataría de disuadirlo o no la ayudaría. El 65,1 por ciento está en total desacuerdo con la creación de instituciones en las que se practique el suicidio asistido. El 62,7 por ciento consideró que los que intentan suicidarse -de tratarse de amigos o parientes- realmente desean morir. Si se trata de individuos cualesquiera, la cifra de los que creen en esa contingencia baja al 58,1 por ciento. El 86,04 por ciento opinó que los intentos de suicidio no deben ser penalizados, mientras que el 76,7 por ciento opinó que no debía despenalizarse el delito de auxilio e incitación al suicidio. Con respecto a la enfermedad terminal, el mayor porcentaje aboga por la prolongación de la vida, pero practicarían la eutanasia en el caso de recién nacidos con graves malformaciones congénitas. El 51,1 por ciento está en contra de la legalización de la eutanasia