J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2018 Dec;29(6):687-698. 10.0000/jksem.2018.29.6.687.

The pre-hospital analysis of patients with suicide attempts in Gangwon-do

• Kim GW
• Cho JH
• Moon JB
• Park CW
• Shin MC
• Kim KE
• Lee JS
• Park YS
• Ohk TG

• KMID: 2432060
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jksem.2018.29.6.687

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study examined the characteristics of suicidal attempters, including pre-hospital patients and those who visited the emergency department.
METHODS
Suicidal attempters who had been reported to the 119 call center were selected between July 2015 and June 2016. Sex, age, place, methods of suicidal attempt, season, time, and suicide success rate were reviewed in the fire center records.
RESULTS
A total 961 suicide attempters were enrolled. Among them, 53.6% were males who had an approximately 2.6 times higher mortality than that of females (9.2%). The most preferred place to commit suicide was the home in both sexes (68.0% in male, 82.8% in female) and the most preferred methods was drug intoxication, particularly pesticide. The method with the highest mortality was hanging and the lowest was self-harm. The season of the highest mortality was spring. The success of suicide and the time variation were similar. Most of the un-transferred patients also selected fatal suicide attempts compared to transfer patients.
CONCLUSION
Unlike previous studies, this study includes information on un-transferred patients. Overall, the probability of death was highest as more than 50 years men chose hanging as a method, which had an influence on the un-transferred patients group.

Keyword

Emergency medical services; Suicide; Treatment refusal

MeSH Terms

Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Fires
Gangwon-do*
Humans
Male
Methods
Mortality
Seasons
Suicide*
Treatment Refusal