Incidence of Suicide in Females of Faisalabad Tehsil

Abstract

Background: Suicide in females is an important and sensitive issue in our society. Suicide is one of the leading cause of death in both genders all over the world. The incidence and pattern of suicide in females vary from country to country. Religious and social values and legal issues play an important role in this regard. Since ours is a male dominating society and female rights are not observed properly as mentioned in Islam. Very few studies about the epidemiology of suicide in females have been conducted in Pakistan. We conducted this study on the patterns of suicide in females by the data of autopsies conducted at Faisalabad from 2002 to 2014. This study will give us an overview of the incidence of suicide in females, more vulnerable age group, most commonly used method and seasonal variation.

Materials and Methods: The study includes 69

of suicidal deaths in females belonging to different age groups autopsied at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad. Cases were selected on the basis of information from the scene of crime, police inquest, autopsy findings and interview with the persons pertaining to the victim. Findings were tabulated and analyzed. Results: The study revealed that suicide rate in females was 0.401/100,000, the peak incidence was in age group 20–29 years followed by 10–19 years of age groups. Hanging was the most common method used. A seasonal surge in summer was noted.

Conclusion: Suicide in females of Faisalabad is much lower as compared to western countries.  Female suicide occurs at a younger age in Faisalabad as compared to western countries.