Characterization of suicide attempt in patients admitted at a health institution (Pereira, Colombia 2013-2014)

Abstract

Objective: The suicide attempt has a multifactorial character which is an element of great importance for Public Health in order to prevent its fatal ending. This way, the suicidal attempt in patients of the Institute of the Nervous System in Pereira (Risaralda, Colombia) from 2013 to 2014 is characterized. Methodology: This is a retrospective cross-sectional, analytical study that includes 73 medical records of people aged 12 years or older with a record of hospitalization, and who have tried to commit suicide. Incomplete medical records and organic mental disorders are excluded. Results: The female sex with 60.3% was the most frequent; the average age is 33.16 ± 16.1 years. The most commonly used suicide attempt mechanism is drugs with 45.2%; the residence with 69.7% is the place where most self-harm behaviors are committed; also, family conflict is the most frequent precipitating factor with 42.6%. The single population represents 58.9%, marijuana is the psychoactive drug with the highest consumption with 21.9% and depression is the most frequent psychiatric disorder with 61.8%. Conclusions: The drugs for suicide attempt keep being the first non-lethal self-harm method; the place to commit suicide is the residence and its main precipitating factor is family conflict. In this study was found a greater proportion of events between the ages of 21 and 65, which differs from other records in which this event is more frequent in teenagers.  It is important to know the variables that characterize the suicide attempt, in order to generate a greater impact on at-risk categorized population.