Nature and drivers of suicide in a rural community of Western Maharashtra

Abstract

Context: The National Crime Records Bureau reports that 134,516 deaths result from suicide in India every year. Maharashtra accounts for 13.4% of the total reported suicides. Aims: This documentation study in the framework of a community mental health program (CMHP) aimed to identify local features of suicide in a rural community, namely sociodemographics and drivers of suicide. Settings and Design: The study was conducted in a community of rural Purandhar block in Western Maharashtra from January 2014 to March 2016 where a CMHP was ongoing since 2013. Data were collected as a part of process documentation through its local community health workers (CHWs). Subjects and Methods: CHWs involved in the program were interviewed, and data were analyzed manually. Results: Seventeen completed and seven attempted suicides who were not a part of the ongoing CMHP among the population were documented. Majority were men under 30 years of age. Pesticide consumption was the most common method of self-harm, and domestic strains were the major driver for suicides. Conclusions: The local pattern of suicidal behavior and its context are relevant for consideration in suicide prevention plans responsive to culture-specific features of suicide.