Demographic risk factors of self-immolation

Abstract

Objective To investigate demographic risk factors for selfimmolation patients. Methods In a case-control study, 30 consecutive cases of deliberate self-infl icted burns admitted to the regional Burn centre (Imam Khomeini hospital in Kermanshah province, Iran) were compared with 30 controls who were selected from the community and matched by gender, age and living area. All cases and controls were reviewed for demographic variables, including: age, gender, living area, family size, marital status, bearing and number of children, body mass index (BMI), birth order, employment state, educational status, early school drop-out and parent/guardian employment status. Results Two variables emerged as related to risk of selfimmolation. Being the fi rst or last child in family birth order was associated with increased risk of self-immolation. Moreover, among the married participants, having children was associated with decreased risk of self-immolation. The comparisons of other variables were not statistically significant. In multivariate analyses, none of the variables predicted risk for self-immolation. Conclusion This study suggests that being the fi rst or last child of a family might be a risk factor for self-immolation. For married persons, having children might serve as a protective factor from self-immolation. Other variables such as family size, marital status, number of children, BMI, employment state, educational status, early school drop-out and parent/ guardian employment status did not play a role as individually protective or risk factors for self-immolation.

Suicide by self-immolation in southern Iran: an epidemiological study

“…As mentioned in the results of our study and other studies, the majority of patients had a low level of education [ 13 , 15 , 31 , 34 , 35 ]. A potential reason for this is that education significantly improves the individual’s temperament and increases one’s understanding of circumstances of everyday life and social dynamics and empowers them to be able to better voice their grievances about any injustices and easily gain their rights; this leads to discouragement of self-defeating actions and indulgence in suicide behaviors.…”

“…Self-immolation accounts for almost 16% (7.5 to 36.6%) of all hospitalizations due to burn injuries [ 19 ]. Furthermore, with an average range of 22.4 cases per 100,000 population, many regions of Iran have the highest rate of self-immolation worldwide [ 13 – 15 ].…”

“…In literature, Iran has been reported to have a high rate of self-immolation with some regions reaching almost 22.4 cases per 100.000 individuals every year [ 12 – 15 ]. Further studies in Iran demonstrated that the self-immolation rate is higher in younger women compared to others with a rate of 4.5 cases in every 100,000 population that comprise 16% of all burnt hospital admissions.…”