Reasons and Patterns of Self-Poisoning Among Adult Females in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Suicide is a prevalent cause of unnatural death in Bangladesh and a long-standing social concern. Self-poisoning is a frequently observed method of suicide in this area. Domestic abuse, stalking, eve-teasing, physical and sexual assault, demands for dowry, failure in exams, and romantic disappointments were prominent reasons for suicide among Bangladeshi females. Aim of the Study: The purpose of the study was to assess the reasons and patterns of self-poisoning among adult females in Bangladesh. Method: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2016 to June 2016 at the Department of Medicine, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. This study relied on 100 adult female self-poisoning patients as study participants. MS Excel and the SPSS version 23.0 application were used to handle the research. Result: The participants' average age was 28.19±9.84 years. Most were from rural areas (62%), 75% were Muslims, 55% were from joint families, and the role of 'housewife' (30%) was the most common job. Family disharmony was the reported reason for self-poisoning in more than one-third (35%) of our participants, while romantic disappointment accounted for 27% of the cases, both notable ratios. Additionally, 8% cited education-related issues, 12% mentioned misunderstandings with parents, 9% attributed self-poisoning to poverty, 5% to chronic illness, and 4% to various other reasons. Conclusion: Among adult females in Bangladesh, family disharmony and romantic disappointment are the most common reasons for self-poisoning. Additionally, education-related issues, misunderstandings with parents, poverty, and chronic illness are also cited as contributing factors for incidents of self-poisoning.