Socio-demographic Profile of Female Engaging in Self-poisoning at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Suicide is a prevalent form of unnatural death and a persistent social problem in Bangladesh. The act of self-poisoning is prevalent in our country, posing a significant medico-social challenge with approximately 300,000 cases and around 2,000 fatalities annually. The occurrence, causes, characteristics, affected age groups, and outcomes of self-poisoning in Bangladesh differ from those observed in Western countries. Notably, there is a concerning upward trend in the number of self-poisoning incidents among females in our nation.

Aim of the Study: This research aimed to assess the socio-demographic traits of adult females who engaged in self-poisoning.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study occurred at the Department of Medicine in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 2016 to June 2016. The study aimed to investigate self-poisoning among adult female patients, and 100 participants were included as subjects. Prior to data collection, informed consent was obtained from all the participants in accordance with ethical guidelines. The collected data were subsequently processed, analyzed, and managed using MS Excel and SPSS version 23.0 software, as required for the study.

Results: The average age of the participants in the study was 28.19±9.84 years. Most participants resided in rural areas (62%), followed by 75% who identified as Muslim. About 55% of the participants came from joint families, and the occupation most frequently reported was "housewife" (30%). Around 51% of the cases belonged to the lower economic class, while 48% of the patients had completed primary-level education. Among the participants, 51% were married. Regarding the timing of self-poisoning incidents, the majority occurred between 6 am and 12 pm (42%). Insecticide was the most commonly used poison material, accounting for 43% of the cases. Notably, a significant majority (81%) of the self-poisoning patients did not have any previous illnesses.

Conclusion: Intentional self-poisoning is higher among females in younger age groups, particularly among homemakers and students. The majority of individuals affected by this issue come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Self-poisoning incidents are more likely to occur during the daytime, and insecticide is most commonly used for this purpose among females. The leading causes of deliberate self-poisoning in this demographic are familial conflicts and experiencing disappointment in romantic relationships.