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Frequency and Clinical Features of Patients who Attempted Suicide by Hara‐Kiri in Japan
Author(s) -
Kato Koji,
Kimoto Keitaro,
Kimoto Kousuke,
Takahashi Yuki,
Sato Reiko,
Matsumoto Hideo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.12411
Subject(s) - medicine , poison control , suicide prevention , injury prevention , suicide methods , mood , intensive care unit , psychiatry , medical emergency , suicide rates
Hara‐kiri is a unique J apanese custom, primarily stemming from the manners and customs that a samurai held. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical features of individuals who attempted suicide by hara‐kiri. We enrolled 647 patients who had attempted suicide. Clinical features were compared between those who had employed hara‐kiri and those who had used other methods. 25 of the 647 subjects had attempted suicide by hara‐kiri. The ratio of men to women and the proportion of patients with mood disorders were significantly higher in the hara‐kiri group than in the other methods group. The average length of stay in either the hospital or in the intensive care unit was also longer in the hara‐kiri group than in the other methods group. Hara‐kiri is an original J apanese method of attempting suicide, and suicide attempts by hara‐kiri may be aimed at maintaining a reputation or taking responsibility.