Published date: Jun 28 2024

Journal Title: Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences

Issue title: Sudan JMS: Volume 19 (2024), Issue No. 2

Pages: 173–187

DOI: 10.18502/sjms.v19i2.13906

Shaib Muhammadshoaibmuhammadumrani@gmail.comDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan

Rabbiya Ahmadrabbiyaahmad@gmail.comDiscipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia and Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan

Pushp Lata RajpootDepartment of Health Education and Promotion, College of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Rafia Tabassumrafiatabassum2013@gmail.comDepartment of Anesthesiology, SICU & Pain Center, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Shaheed Benazirabad, Pakistan

Muhammad Saleh Khaskhelibeesaleh@hotmail.comDepartment of Anesthesiology, SICU & Pain Center, Peoples University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Shaheed Benazirabad, Pakistan

Jabbas Abbasjabbarabbas1@gmail.comInstitute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, People University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Shaheed Benazirabad, Pakistan

Razia Sultanadrraziasultana69@gmail.comInstitute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, People University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women, Shaheed Benazirabad, Pakistan

Shahida Tabassumshahida.tabassum@wum.edu.pkDepartment of Statistics, The Women University Multan, Pakistan

Narendar Kumarnkumar.bhojak@usindh.edu.pkDiscipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, PulauPinang, Malaysia

Background: Globally, over a million people commit suicide every year. Although suicide rates are more in high-income countries, many countries do not report suicide cases regularly to the World Health Organization (WHO). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the factors associated with suicide and self-harm in Pakistan.

Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Peoples Medical College Hospital (PMCH) in Shaheed Benazirabad, Sindh, Pakistan, from July to December 2019. A total of 131 cases of suicide/self-harm were included using a convenience sampling technique. Data were collected on a predesigned questionnaire consisting of 14 close-ended questions. A chi-square test was used to determine the association between different categorical variables.

Results: The majority of the subjects were males (53.4%), young adults aged between 16 and 30 years (69.5%), single (51.9%), and uneducated (57.3%). More than half (51.9%) of the subjects who attempted suicide or self-harm were unemployed. There was a significant association between education level (c² =13.149, P = 0.001) and age groups (c² = 15.554, P = 0.001) with health outcomes (suicide or self-harm) only. Moreover, gender (c² = 20.776, P = 0.004), marital status (c² = 69.047, P < 0.001), level of education (c² = 63.144, P < 0.001), age groups (c² = 69.848, P < 0.001), and employment status (c² = 28.677, P = 0.012) were also associated with the reasons of suicide and self-harm.

Conclusion: Our study concluded that mostly single, unemployed males with low literacy and with marital and family issues are determined as factors associated with a high risk of self-harm and suicide.

Keywords: suicide, self-harm, pesticide, black stone, Pakistan

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