Suicide in Pretoria: A retrospective review, 2007 - 2010
BACKGROUND. The World Health Organization has declared suicide a global health crisis, predicting that ~1.53 million people will commit suicide annually by 2020. OBJECTIVE. A study from South Africa reviewed 1 018 suicide cases in Pretoria over 4 years (1997 - 2000). Our study was undertaken to establish whether there have been substantial changes in the profile of suicide victims who died in Pretoria a decade later. METHODS. Case records at the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory were reviewed retrospectively from 2007 to 2010. RESULTS. A total of 957 suicide cases were identified. Hanging was the most common method of suicide, followed by self-inflicted firearm injury. The true incidence of suicidal intake of prescription drugs/medication was difficult to determine, because of a backlog at the state toxicology laboratories. White males and females appeared to be over-represented among suicide victims, but there has been an increase in suicide among blacks. There seems to have been a substantial decrease in the use of firearms to commit suicide - possibly reflecting a positive outcome of gun control legislation that has been introduced in the interim. CONCLUSION. Suicide continues to constitute almost 10% of all fatalities admitted to the Pretoria Medico-Legal Laboratory, confirming suicide as a major cause of mortality in our society. Further research is needed to clarify the profile of suicidal deaths, with a view to informing resource allocation and to improve preventive strategies.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
South African Medical Association
2017
|
| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-95742017000800023 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|