Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan
Abstract Background Self-Harm (SH) is a major global public health problem under-researched in Pakistan due to religious and legal implications. This study aims to identify the characteristics and patterns among patients with SH and factors associated with the intent to die. Method This retrospectiv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04018-7 |
| _version_ | 1818553493395341312 |
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| author | Ambreen Tharani Salima Farooq Maryam Pyar Ali Lakhdir Uroosa Talib Murad Moosa Khan |
| author_facet | Ambreen Tharani Salima Farooq Maryam Pyar Ali Lakhdir Uroosa Talib Murad Moosa Khan |
| author_sort | Ambreen Tharani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Self-Harm (SH) is a major global public health problem under-researched in Pakistan due to religious and legal implications. This study aims to identify the characteristics and patterns among patients with SH and factors associated with the intent to die. Method This retrospective descriptive study where SH cases presented to private tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, from January 2013 to December 2017 were extracted from HIMS records. Details related to demography, history, associated factors, access to methods used, and intent to die were collected on a structured proforma and analysed using STATA version 14. Results A total of 350 cases were analysed. More than half of the reported cases were in the age group 20–39 years. Though only one-fourth of the SH cases had a past psychiatric history, it was found to be significantly (P-value < 0.05) associated with intent to die. Notably, 81% of the cases do not have a history of SH. Drug overdose (61.6%) and insecticides (36.6%) were the two most common methods used. Depression was identified in nearly half of the cases. The most common reason for attempting SH was inter-personal relationship issues (54.3%). Conclusion This paper provides recent data on the characteristics and patterns associated with the intent to die of individuals who have self-harmed. In most cases of SH, past psychiatric history was not evident. Current psychiatric diagnosis and young adults were favoured in this study. The data from this study has limited representation for all demographic representation of SH cases from Pakistan as being from a single private hospital. There is a need for further research on SH in Pakistan. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:26:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5a258c9cd2564377a1c056b386276a9c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:26:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-5a258c9cd2564377a1c056b386276a9c2022-12-22T00:29:01ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2022-05-012211610.1186/s12888-022-04018-7Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, PakistanAmbreen Tharani0Salima Farooq1Maryam Pyar Ali Lakhdir2Uroosa Talib3Murad Moosa Khan4School of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan UniversitySchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Aga Khan UniversityDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan UniversityKarwan-E-Hayat, Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation CenterDepartment of Psychiatry, Aga Khan UniversityAbstract Background Self-Harm (SH) is a major global public health problem under-researched in Pakistan due to religious and legal implications. This study aims to identify the characteristics and patterns among patients with SH and factors associated with the intent to die. Method This retrospective descriptive study where SH cases presented to private tertiary care teaching hospital in Karachi, Pakistan, from January 2013 to December 2017 were extracted from HIMS records. Details related to demography, history, associated factors, access to methods used, and intent to die were collected on a structured proforma and analysed using STATA version 14. Results A total of 350 cases were analysed. More than half of the reported cases were in the age group 20–39 years. Though only one-fourth of the SH cases had a past psychiatric history, it was found to be significantly (P-value < 0.05) associated with intent to die. Notably, 81% of the cases do not have a history of SH. Drug overdose (61.6%) and insecticides (36.6%) were the two most common methods used. Depression was identified in nearly half of the cases. The most common reason for attempting SH was inter-personal relationship issues (54.3%). Conclusion This paper provides recent data on the characteristics and patterns associated with the intent to die of individuals who have self-harmed. In most cases of SH, past psychiatric history was not evident. Current psychiatric diagnosis and young adults were favoured in this study. The data from this study has limited representation for all demographic representation of SH cases from Pakistan as being from a single private hospital. There is a need for further research on SH in Pakistan.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04018-7CharacteristicsIntent to diePsychiatric illnessSelf-harmSuicide |
| spellingShingle | Ambreen Tharani Salima Farooq Maryam Pyar Ali Lakhdir Uroosa Talib Murad Moosa Khan Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan BMC Psychiatry Characteristics Intent to die Psychiatric illness Self-harm Suicide |
| title | Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan |
| title_full | Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan |
| title_short | Characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self-harmed: a retrospective descriptive study from Karachi, Pakistan |
| title_sort | characteristics and patterns of individuals who have self harmed a retrospective descriptive study from karachi pakistan |
| topic | Characteristics Intent to die Psychiatric illness Self-harm Suicide |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04018-7 |
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