Retrospective study of sociodemographic profile of suicidal cases by hanging in a tertiary care hospital at Puducherry

Abstract

Introduction: Hanging is one of the most common methods of committing suicide worldwide as it is believed to cause instant relatively painless death. Objectives: The objective of this study is to analyze the sociodemographic profile, ligature material used, and place of incidence among the victims who committed suicide by hanging. Materials and Methods: The data required for the study were collected and analyzed from all cases of hanging autopsied at a tertiary care center. Results: It was found that most of the victims belonged to younger and middle age groups. Most cases were males, and majority of the victims opted an indoor location to commit suicide. Ligature materials used in majority of the cases were either synthetic or jute rope. Most of the victims were either unemployed or had worked in harsh conditions which depict their socioeconomic status. Conclusion: Analyzing the various sociodemographic features of suicide victims is the initial step in formulating effective preventive efforts from a sociological perspective.