ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: It is well established that attempting suicide significantly increases a person's risk of completing suicide. The risk is considered to be particularly high in the first year after the attempt. Epidemiological information on suicide is scarce in the Middle East and the countries of the GCC region and there is a need to establish a reference point to measure future changes. AIMS: We examined the epidemiology of suicide attempters requiring inpatient care in Abu Dhabi to identify associated factors that could aid local suicide prevention strategies. METHODS: This 4-year (2011-2014) study of suicide attempters in the city of Abu Dhabi included all attempters assessed by the consultation-liaison team and admitted to the 3 main governmental general hospitals. RESULTS: We identified 364 suicide attempts with an annual incidence of 6 per 100 000 population. The mean age was 28.7 years. Females comprised 59.6% of the attempters and were more likely to be below age 30 years. Around 40% of the psychiatric diagnoses among attempters were related to stress and 17.9% to depression. Overdosing was the chosen method in 50.6% of the attempters, with 32.7% overdosing on paracetamol and females being more likely to use this method. Just over 13% of the attempters had made one previous attempt and 2.2% had made more than one. CONCLUSION: Females younger than 30 years were at higher risk of attempting suicide, with overdosing on paracetamol as the preferred method. Stress-related diagnoses were predominant in the attempters.
Subject(s)
Mental Disorders , Suicide, Attempted , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle East , Risk Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , United Arab Emirates/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between legal status and guardedness in patients who attempted suicide in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The consultation-liaison team assessed 355 patients admitted for suicidal/self-injurious behavior, recording their guardedness before knowing whether they were legally charged. Patients who were legally charged for the suicidal act (n = 139) were 1.6 times (p = .03) more guarded in volunteering information than patients who were not legally charged. Legally charging suicide attempters might have a negative impact on risk assessment and psychiatric care.
Subject(s)
Suicide, Attempted/legislation & jurisprudence , Suicide, Attempted/psychology , Truth Disclosure , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Suicide, Attempted/statistics & numerical data , United Arab Emirates , Young AdultABSTRACT
Catatonia as a clozapine-withdrawal syndrome has only been documented in the medical literature as case reports. We are reporting a case in which a 32-year-old man develops a catatonic state upon withdrawal of clozapine. The state was quite severe and needed ICU admission. The course was chronic and intermittent which we think was caused by the poor adherence to antipsychotics. The importance of identifying such cases early is underlined.
