Suicide among children, young on the rise in Vavuniya

[TamilNet, Saturday, 03 March 2001, 12:59 GMT]
There is an alarming increase of suicide among children and young people in Vavuniya, according to study released this week. The Vavuniya Medical Officer of Health and the Nelukkulam Public Health Inspector, the researchers who did the study said that war related poverty, stress and displacement were the main causes for suicide among the young. Seventy-nine children under 10 who had attempted to commit suicide were admitted to the Vavuniya Hospital last year.

Sixty eight percent (470 persons) of all those who were treated here in 2000 following suicide attempts were between 11 and 40 years. Suicides and suicide attempts last year increased by 31 percent from 1999, according to the study. Thirty four percent of the suicide attempts were among the inmates of refugee camps. The actual number could be much higher because the study was limited only to those who were admitted to the Vavuniya Base Hospital, the researchers said.

The study does not take into account cases that were sent to Anuradhapura and Colombo according to the Vavuniya MOH, Dr. A Ketheeswaran and the Nelukkulam PHI, MrK. Mayjeya.

The following is the full text of the report:

1.INTRODUCTION

It is wellknown that the suicide rate in Sri Lanka is the second highest in the world following Hungury. It is unfortunate that the suicide rate is higher in the underdeveloped aricultrual districts like Pollonnaruwa. Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Batticaloa. It is also to be noted that the access and quality of medical care for the suicide attemptors are below the required standard.

The public awareness regarding this acuter social problem is not in the expected level in these areas.

The report attempts to analys the suicide situation in Vavuniya District and high light the gravity of the situation and thereby to create public awareness.

It is to be noted that it is extremely difficult to collect the very accurate data on suicide attempts as few of the suicide attempts were hidden in the society.

2.Methodology

Place of Survey : Vavuniya District

Study Design : Descriptive Cross Sectional Survey

Data Collection :

The data were collected at the Base Hospital Vavuniya. The particulars of the completed suicides and the suicide attempts were collected from the records.

The deaths of the patients, who were transferred to GH Anuradhapur/ Colombo for special care following suicide attempts, were not included in these data.

Period of survey : Year 2000

3.Results and Analysis

Table 3.1: Particulars about the completed suicides in the pase three years in vavuniya District

Year	Number of completed suicides
1998	58
1999	61
2000	62

Table 3.2: Comparision of suicide attempt in Vavuniya District in years 1999 and 2000.

Period	Number of Suicide attempts
01/01/1999 - 31/08/1999	311
01/01/2000 - 31/08/2000	407

It is unfortunate to note that the number of suicides and suicides and suicide attempts (31%) are in increasing trend in Vavuniya District.

Table 3.3: Comparision of completed suicides and suicide attempts in year 2000 in Vavuniya District.

Detail	Number	Rate per 10.000 Population
Completed suicides	62	4.4
Suicide attempts	691	49.4

The suicide rate and the suicide attempt rate are very high in Vavuniya District

Table 3.4 Proportion of completed suicides within all causes, deaths in year 2000 registered at Base Hospital, Vavuniya.

Details	Number	Percentage
Completed suicides	62	12.0
Other causes deaths	452	88.0
Total number of deaths	514	100.0

12% of the deaths were due to suicides.

Note: The deaths due to suicide attempts at GH anuradhapura/Colombo following transfer for special care were not included.

The complete suicides by self-poisioning and self-burning were only included in these data. The suicides by hanging and other methods were not included.

Table 3.5: An outcome analysis of suicide attempts in year 2000 registered at BH Vavuniya.

Outcome of suicide attempts	Number	Percentage
Deaths	62	9.0
Recovered	526	76.1
Transferred to GH A-pura	103	14.9
Total	691	100.0

9% of the suicide attempts were ended up as completed suicides, About 76% was recovered. But the outcome of the patients who were transferred to GH Anuradhapura for special care was not known. It was practically difficult to trace the above data.

Table 3.6: Monthly variation of suicide attempts in year 2000.

Month	Number	Percentage
January	37	5.3
February	51	7.3
March	52	7.3
April	76	11.0
May	73	10.6
June	70	10.1
July	56	8.1
August	59	8.5
September	50	7.2
October	67	10.0
November	50	7.2
December	50	7.2
Total	691	100.0

It has been observed that the suicide attempts were increased in the months of April, Many and June

Table 3.7:Sex variation among the suicide attempts.

Sex	Number	Percentage
Male	376	54.4
Female	315	45.6
Total	691	100.0

Table 3.8: Sex variation among the completed suicides.

Sex	Number	Percentage
Male	46	70.0
Female	16	26.0
Total	62	100.0

Table 3.9: Frequency distribution of suicide attempts by method of suicide attempts.

Method of suicide attempt	Number	Percentage
Self Posioning	602	87.1
Self burning	58	8.4
Other methods	31	4.5
Total	691	100

Table 3.10: Frequency distribution of completed suicides by methods

Method of suicide attempt	Number	Percentage
Self Posioning	31	50.0
Other methods	31	50.0
Total	62	100

Self-poisioning was the deminant method of suicide attempt

Table 3.11: Frequency distribution of various items used for self poisioning

Item	Number	Percentage
Pesticide	243	40.0
Yellow oleander (allari) Seeds	152	25.2
Malathion	31	5.1
Kerosine	53	8.8
Petrol	05	0.8
Mosquito Coil	05	0.8
Other	113	18.9
Total	602	100.0

Pesticides and the yellow oleander (Allari) seed were commonly used for self-poisioning.

Table 3.12: Friquency distribution of suicide attempts by age

Age Group (in years)	Number	Percentage
0-10	79	11.4
11-20	101	14.6
21-30	204	29.5
31-40	165	23.9
41-50	98	14.1
51-60	37	5.4
Over 60	0	1.1
Total	691	100.0

Suicide attempts highly prevalant among the young people (21-40yrs)

Table 3.13: Proportion of suicide attempts among the inmates of welfare centres.

Details	Number	Percentage
Inmates of welfare centres	238	34.4
Outside general population	453	65.6
Total	691	100.0

34.4% of the suicide attempts were among the inmates of the welfare contres.

Table 3.14: Comarision of suicide attempt rate between the welfare centres inmates and outside general population.

Details	Number	Population	Suicide attempt rate per 10,000 population
Inmates of welfare centres	238	23,000	103.5
Outside general population	453	1,20,000	37.5
Total	691	1,43,000	48.3

Suicide attempts are prevalant three times more among the welfare centre inmates than the outside general population.

Table 3.15: Variation of suicide attempts among the welfare centres.

Name of the Welfare centres	Number	Population	Suicide attempt rate per 10,000 population
Sithamparapuram	33	7012	47.0
Poonthoddam	143	9868	145.0
Vepankulam	19	1368	138.9
Nelukulam	17	1022	166.3
Sanasa	13	375	346.6
Adapankulam	04	1466	27.3
Kovitpuliankulam	09	1876	48.0
Total	238	22.987	103.5

Suicide attempt rate was high in welfare centres sanasa. Nclukulam, Poonthoddam and Vepankulam

Conclusions

• .The suicide rate and suicide attempt rate were high in Vavuniya District.
• 2. There was an increasing trend in suicide rate and suicide attempt rate in Vavuniya District.
• 3. Males outnumbered females in suicides and suicide attempts.
• 4. Suicides and suicide attempts were highly prevalant among the young age group (21-40 years)
• 5. Suicide attempts were prevalant three times more among the welfare centre inmates than the outside general population.
• 6. Self poisioning was the dominant method of suicide attempt
• 7. Pesticides and yellow oleander (Alari) seeds were commonly used for self ñ poisioning.
  
  5) Recommendations
  
  
• 1. Counseling facilities should be organized for the survivors of suicide attempts as they are more prone to re-attempts.
• 2. Confidential counseling services should be made available for the people in distress.
• 3. Medical facilities should be improved to reduce the mortality from suicide attempts at the district level
• 4. Yellow oleander (Allari) trees should be destroyed at village levels by organizing shramadana campaigns.
• 5. Must encure that the malathion should not be available in the private sector.
• 6. Must identify the problems among the young people and try to solve them as far as possible, specially unemployment.
• 7. Sports and entertainment facilities should be made available at cach village and welfare centre. And the recreational activities should be encouraged and supporied
• 8. The suicide rate is very high among the displaced people specially among the inmates of the welfare centres.