The profile analysis of attempted-suicide patients referred to Pelonomi Hospital for psychological evaluation and treatment from 1 May 2005 to 30 April 2006
Authors: Du Toit E H , Kruger J M , Swiegers S M , Van der Merwe M , Calitz F J W , Philane L , Joubert G 
Published: June 2017

<div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 691.884px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04288);" data-canvas-width="85.51575"><strong>Background.</strong></div><div style="left: 171.176px; top: 691.884px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0317);" data-canvas-width="300.2243999999999">Suicide is an increasing phenomenon</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 715.224px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03619);" data-canvas-width="386.49719999999996">worldwide. A suicide occurs every 40 seconds, and there</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 738.564px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02775);" data-canvas-width="386.43539999999996">is 1 attempt every 1 to 3 seconds. By 2020, these figures</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 761.904px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.996047);" data-canvas-width="386.4663">may have doubled. No accurate statistics regarding the</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 785.244px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03893);" data-canvas-width="386.4817499999999">occurrence of attempted suicide (or non-fatal suicidal</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 808.584px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04742);" data-canvas-width="386.49719999999996">behaviour) in South Africa exist, because there has been</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 831.924px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01198);" data-canvas-width="194.2991999999999">no systematic data collection.</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 831.924px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01198);" data-canvas-width="194.2991999999999"> </div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 869.424px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00734);" data-canvas-width="25.1835"><strong>Aim</strong></div><div style="left: 110.581px; top: 869.424px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05263);" data-canvas-width="361.05105000000003">. The aim of the study was to determine the profile of</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 892.764px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01698);" data-canvas-width="386.4508499999998">patients who had attempted suicide and were referred</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 916.104px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.053);" data-canvas-width="386.45084999999995">to Pelonomi Hospital, Bloemfontein, for psychological</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 939.444px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.09463);" data-canvas-width="386.4045000000001">evaluation and treatment during the period 1 May 2005</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 962.784px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.16187);" data-canvas-width="120.83444999999996">to 30 April 2006.</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1000.28px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.09453);" data-canvas-width="55.82085">Method.</div><div style="left: 141.218px; top: 1000.28px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00434);" data-canvas-width="330.4291499999999">A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted.</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1023.62px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0197);" data-canvas-width="386.4663">The study population comprised 258 attempted-suicide</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1046.96px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0063);" data-canvas-width="386.41994999999986">patients referred to Pelonomi Hospital for psychological</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1070.3px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.995928);" data-canvas-width="386.41995000000003">evaluation and treatment. A data form was compiled to</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1093.64px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03619);" data-canvas-width="386.49719999999996">transfer the relevant information from patients’ clinical</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1116.98px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00065);" data-canvas-width="30.019349999999992">files.</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1116.98px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00065);" data-canvas-width="30.019349999999992"> </div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1154.48px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.839862);" data-canvas-width="41.9931"><strong>Results</strong></div><div style="left: 127.391px; top: 1154.48px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.0274);" data-canvas-width="344.17965000000004">. The majority of patients were female (68.9%). The</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1177.82px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.995888);" data-canvas-width="386.4045000000001">median age was 22 years. The most common method</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1201.16px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.985726);" data-canvas-width="386.40449999999987">used in suicide attempts was drug overdose (66%) – mostly</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1224.5px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00373);" data-canvas-width="386.43539999999985">antidepressants (19.7%)) and analgesics (8.2%). More</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1247.84px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02012);" data-canvas-width="299.91539999999986">females than males overdosed on drugs (</div><div style="left: 385.328px; top: 1247.84px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif;">p</div><div style="left: 394.212px; top: 1247.84px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.10578);" data-canvas-width="77.4045">=0.0103).</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1271.18px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03329);" data-canvas-width="386.4508499999999">The main precipitating factors included problematic</div><div style="left: 85.1657px; top: 1294.52px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.07956);" data-canvas-width="386.4817500000003">relationships (55.4%), financial problems (22.9%),<div style="left: 533.984px; top: 382.042px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.03058);" data-canvas-width="386.4662999999999">psychiatric problems (22.1%), arguments (19.8%), abuse</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 405.382px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00441);" data-canvas-width="381.6767999999998">(emotional, sexual, physical – 18.2%), low self-esteem/</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 428.721px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04346);" data-canvas-width="386.0800499999998">worthlessness/hopelessness/humiliation (16.7%), and</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 452.061px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02182);" data-canvas-width="185.97164999999993">recent life changes (13.2%).</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 452.061px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.02182);" data-canvas-width="185.97164999999993"> </div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 489.561px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00927);" data-canvas-width="77.71349999999998"><strong>Conclusion.</strong></div><div style="left: 611.93px; top: 489.561px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.976479);" data-canvas-width="308.56739999999996">The aim of the study was to determine the</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 512.901px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00638);" data-canvas-width="386.45084999999995">profile of patients who had attempted suicide. Possible</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 536.242px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00381);" data-canvas-width="386.4663">factors associated with suicide attempts in our sample</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 559.581px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.01706);" data-canvas-width="386.48174999999986">were identified and summarised in the form of a screening</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 582.922px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.04169);" data-canvas-width="386.46630000000005">checklist. The value of the checklist is that it can be used</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 606.261px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.05018);" data-canvas-width="386.46629999999993">as a screening method to identify possible suicide risk in</div><div style="left: 533.984px; top: 629.602px; font-size: 15px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(1.00481);" data-canvas-width="55.26465">patients.</div></div>