Degree of Suicide Intent and the Lethality of Means Employed: A Study of Chinese Attempters

Abstract

This study was designed to determine if there is a relationship between the degree of suicide intent and the lethality of means employed by those who try to kill themselves. The study sample consists of 74 suicide attempters admitted to emergency rooms in a northeastern area of China. Structured interviews were performed with the patients and their companions to the hospital if necessary. It was found that the reason for the suicide attempt claimed by the highest percentage of attempters (35 of 74) was love/marriage issues, and there were significant gender differences in suicide reasons. It also was found that the choice of suicide means is generally independent of gender, and the lethality of means is positively correlated with the degree of suicide intent. One of the implications of the findings is a better understanding of the higher suicide rates for Chinese women than Chinese men. A hypothesis for future study on Chinese suicide may be that the high fatality rate of Chinese women who have swallowed poisonous pesticide is a function of the strong intent of death of the victim coupled with the well-known lethality of the pesticides.