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Completed Suicide among Sinhalese in Sri Lanka: A Psychological Autopsy Study
Author(s) -
Samaraweera Sudath,
Sumathipala Athula,
Siribaddana Sisira,
Sivayogan S.,
Bhugra Dinesh
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1521/suli.2008.38.2.221
Subject(s) - sri lanka , commit , autopsy , medicine , suicide prevention , injury prevention , poison control , psychiatry , occupational safety and health , alcohol abuse , medical emergency , demography , geography , pathology , environmental planning , database , computer science , tanzania , sociology
Sri Lanka has the one of highest rates of suicide. Important factors associated with suicide were determined via the psychological autopsy approach (which had not been carried out previously in Sri Lanka). Over a 3‐month period, in a catchment area, 31 suicides among Sinhalese were identified and 27 were investigated. Males were more likely to commit suicide and alcohol abuse and domestic violence were reported as contributory factors. We found it possible to use psychological autopsy methods to obtain information which can inform planned prevention measures.