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Self-immolation a common suicidal behaviour in eastern Sri Lanka.

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dc.contributor Médecins Sans Frontières, 50 Lady Manning Drive, Batticaloa, Sri Lanka. veronique.laloe@bigfoot.com
dc.creator Laloë, V
dc.creator Ganesan, M
dc.date 2002-08
dc.date.accessioned 2017-01-31T07:10:48Z
dc.date.available 2017-01-31T07:10:48Z
dc.identifier Self-immolation a common suicidal behaviour in eastern Sri Lanka. 2002, 28 (5):475-80notBurns
dc.identifier 0305-4179
dc.identifier 12163288
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/10144/25954
dc.identifier http://fieldresearch.msf.org/msf/handle/10144/25954
dc.identifier Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
dc.identifier.uri http://dspace.mediu.edu.my:8181/xmlui/handle/10144/25954
dc.description A high number of self-burning injuries are noted in Batticaloa. The epidemiology, outcome and psychosocial aspects of 87 patients admitted with such burns over a 2-year-period was studied. The patients were compared with accidental burns and patients using other methods of suicide. Seventy nine percent of the victims were females and 72% were in the 15-34 years age-group. Most had marital problems. The majority were Tamils, but Muslims were fairly well represented. The median extent of burn was 48% of total body surface area (TBSA), with the top of the body mainly affected. The use of fire proved to have a high mortality in a group of patients who did not really want to die; 61 (70%) died. Mortality was higher than for accidental burns after matching for age and burn extent. The survivors had long hospital stays and suffered severe disfigurement. The cases where the patient denied self-harm, but in which the injuries were suggestive of this motive, were strikingly similar in age, sex and burn extent to the suicide group. In contrast, poison suicide records showed a male predominance and a gross under-representation of Muslims. Fire is a very significant method of suicide in our area. Social make-up and poor problem-solving ability may be contributing factors.
dc.language en
dc.publisher Elsevier
dc.relation http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03054179
dc.rights Archived on this site by kind permission and copyright of 2002 by Elsevier
dc.title Self-immolation a common suicidal behaviour in eastern Sri Lanka.


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