Abstract
Introduction: Suicide is a serious public health problem and one of the leading causes of adolescent death in the world. The aim of this study is to determine the epidemiological profile of suicidal poisoning with drugs among adolescents in Morocco. Methods: This is a retrospective study of deliberate self-poisoning cases, reported to the Moroccan Poison Control Center between 1980 and 2014. Results: A total of 3,856 cases of suicidal poisoning among adolescents 15 to 19 years old were recorded, with 13 cases of successful suicide and 41 repeated suicide attempts. The average age of the patients was 15.5 years. According to the results, 84.7% were female with a female-male ratio of 5.5. The majority of cases occurred at home (97.8%). The signs and symptoms presented by the patients were varied, depending on the amount of drug ingested and the delay before treatment. Conclusion: Suicide and suicide attempts in children and adolescents continue to be a major public health problem, and topical research and surveys have clearly highlighted suicide as one of the commonest causes of death among young people.
Highlights
Suicide is a serious public health problem and one of the leading causes of adolescent death in the world
A retrospective study was conducted on all cases of suicidal poisoning with drugs among adolescents 15-19 years old, reported to the Moroccan Poison Control Center over a period of 35 years from January 1980 to December 2014 in Morocco
Drug ingestion was a common method of self-harm and suicide [14,15,16]
Summary
Suicide is a serious public health problem and one of the leading causes of adolescent death in the world. Suicidal behaviours are among the main causes of death worldwide, especially among adolescents and young adults [8, 9] It is the third leading cause of death for adolescents between 14 and 18 years old in the USA [4]. Suicides are the second leading cause of premature mortality in individuals aged between 15 to 29 years preceded by traffic accidents [1]. For this range of age, over-thecounter drugs are an easy manner to commit suicide.
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