Investigating the related factors on suicide methods and suicide attempts in Yazd, Iran

Suicide is a global health concern with a growing prevalence in most countries including Iran. The increasing rate of suicide despite the suicide prevention programs indicates the need for evaluation of the effective factors on suicide attempts. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between different risk factors including age, gender, addiction, mood of residence, marital status, history of psychiatric illnesses, history of suicide attempts in the patient and the family, time and season of suicide attempt, and methods of suicide in Yazd province in Iran.

The present cross-sectional study conducted in educational Hospitals of Yazd and Legal Medical Organization of Yazd city between June 2018- June 2019. Every individual with complete suicide attempts enrolled. The medical records of these individuals were documented and the relationship between the method of suicide and demographic factors were evaluated.

Sixty individuals with the mean age of 37.43 years enrolled in the present study and most of them were female (68.3%). Major part of the individuals had a history of suicide attempts (54.5%) and most of the suicides occurred during nights (42.4%). Moreover, most of the complete attempts occurred in summer (46.7%), and hanging (55%) was the most common type of suicide attempt. Only the gender was significantly correlated with the method of suicide (P=0.001).

The present study demonstrated that most of the suicides committed by females and self-hanging were the most common method of suicide. The gender was the only factor related to the method of suicide.