Medicolegal Aspects of Suicidal Attempts by Drugs in Cases admitted to Poison Control Center of Ain Shams University Hospitals (2019-2020)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Hadramout University - college of medicine, Yemen

2 Forensic Medicine and Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Background: A suicide attempt is an act by which the person wants to end his own life, but mostly it is non-fatal. In Egypt people struggle in many aspects of life urging them to desperation and suicidal attempts. Aim of the study: To assess the medicolegal aspects of suicidal attempts through analysis of socio-demographical data, risk factors, common drugs used and outcome. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted in the Poison Control Center of Ain Shams University hospitals, Egypt from the first of September 2019 till the end of February 2020. Data were collected from through direct interviewing of patients. Results: The total number of patients in the study were 580 patients aged from 6 to more than 45 years old. Most of the attempters were females (77.24%), aged 19 to 44 years (62.59%), singles (69.31%), students (51.55%), had university educational level (42.59%), living in urban areas (70.69%) and had low-income status (62.07%). About (86.55%) of them had no history of previous attempts with psychiatric problems as the most common cause (55.18%). Patients who used mixed poisons had the highest prevalence (27.24%). (43.28%) of cases were admitted to the ICU of whom (56.57%) were notified to the police station. (74.31%) of cases completely recovered while (24.14%) refused treatment. Conclusion: Suicide attempts by drugs is a serious medical health problem especially among young adults and single females. Psychiatric and family problems are the most common causes.
Received in original form: 3 March 2022 Accepted in a final form: 20 May 2022

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