Causes, Attempts and Methods of Suicide in Baghdad: An Autopsy Study

Abstract

Suicide is defined as intentional taking of one's own life. Until the end of the twentieth century approximately, suicide was considered a criminal act; legal terminology is used, in the Latin phrase felo-de-se, which means "a crime against the self".

            Descriptive study of 100 fatal recorded suicidal cases brought for postmortem examination at the Medico-legal institute of Baghdad within four years period from first of September 2011 to first of September 2015 (males 49 and females 51 cases). The study excludes the firearm deaths. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain data by direct interview with the visitors of the victim, family members, witnesses and information available on police records.

            Death on spot was recorded in 47% of the cases while 41% of victims died within 24 hours of incidence whereas 12% victims survived for 7 days. About 56% of Suicidal victims were discovered dead not hospitalized. Low socioeconomic conditions were most frequent (45%) cause for committing suicide followed by psychosocial causes (43%) and chronic diseases (12%). Poisoning (53%) and hanging (45%) were the two exclusive methods employed for committing suicide. Most of the victims (males 87.76% and females78.43%) have had a successful attempt to commit suicide in their first attempt while history of previous suicidal attempts was available in 17% of victims.

            The aim of this study is to identify the intensity and frequency of suicide in relation to the Medico-legal aspect of the incidence such as method, duration of survival, causes of committing suicide and previous attempts to commit suicide.

            From the results of the study we can conclude that most of the victims incorporated such suicidal attempts and methods were successful in accomplishing suicide in the first attempt (males 87.76% and females 78.43%) and the commonest cause of committing suicide is mostly their low socioeconomic condition and psychosocial reasons.