Purpose Self-Poisoning as a Common Cause of Suicide Attempts in Children and Adolescents: A Descriptive Study in Zahedan, Iran

Intentional poisoning by drugs and chemicals is a frequent emergency in Iran and ranks as the third leading cause of suicide worldwide. With the high rate of suicide among children and adolescents, this study aimed to investigate the frequency of suicide attempts by self-poisoning in children aged ۷ to ۱۸ years who visited the children's emergency room of Ali ibn Abi Talib Zahedan Hospital between ۲۰۰۹ and ۲۰۱۸. Methods: This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design to investigate all cases of children who were referred to the emergency department of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital. The sampling method used was a census, and data analysis was performed using SPSS software and descriptive statistical techniques. Results: Out of the ۴۵ suicide cases, ۲۸ were girls and ۱۷ were boys, with self-poisoning accounting for ۲۳.۰۷% of these cases. The highest frequency of suicide attempts by self-poisoning occurred among individuals aged ۱۵-۱۸ years, and most of the cases were reported in urban areas. The most commonly used substances for self-poisoning were sleep drugs, anti-depressants, and anti-convulsant drugs. Discussion: This study highlights the influence of several factors, such as age, gender, and place of residence, on suicide attempts. Additionally, the high rate of self-poisoning by sedative-hypnotic, anti-depressant, and anti-convulsant drugs underscores the need to limit access to these drugs in society.

کلیدواژه ها:

Self – Poisoning ، Child ، Emergency Service ، Hospital ، Iran ، Cross – Sectional Studies