Pattern of suicide by self-poisoning in Northern Tunisia: An eleven-year study (2005–2015)
Abstract
Objective The aim of our study was to discuss the epidemiological features of self-poisoning suicide in Northern Tunisia. Methods We conducted a retrospective, descriptive and cross-sectional study, including all the cases of fatal self-poisoning suicide occurring between January 2005 and December 2015. Results In the study period, 204 cases of self-poisoning suicide occurred in northern Tunisia, with a prevalence of 0.44 cases/100 000 inhabitants/year. Among these cases, 59% were females (the sex ratio was 0.69). The mean age was 34 ± 15.3 years-old. The most common age group of the victims (28.4%) was between 20 and 29 years old. Victims were unemployed in 45% of cases and single at the time of suicide in 52%. None of the victims left a suicide note. Self-poisonings were due to the ingestion of drugs (52.5%), pesticides (42.6%), caustic products (5.5%) and Butane gas (1 case). Conclusions Fatal casualties of self-poisoning in Tunisia are frequently young, single, unemployed women. This pattern would allow planning of targeted preventive measures.
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In Tunisia, fatal self-poisoning occurred more frequently in young, single, and unemployed women.
“Fatal self-poisoning occurred more frequently in young, single, and unemployed women.”
From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [25]
In Tunisia, toxicological examinations of self-poisoning suicides revealed medical drugs in 52.5%, pesticides in 42.6%, caustics in 4.4%, and butane gas in 0.5% of cases.
“Toxicological examinations revealed death by medical drugs (mainly psychotropics and cardiotropics) in 52.5% of the cases, pesticides in 42.6% of the cases, caustics in 4.4% of the cases, and butane gas in 0.5% of the cases.”
From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [25]
The autopsy rate in deaths by suicide and poisoning is still low.
“The autopsy rate in deaths by suicide and poisoning is still low [21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28].”
From Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries (2022) · cites this paper as [25]
Cites
The global distribution of fatal pesticide self-poisoning: Systematic review
Gunnell, D., Eddleston, M., Phillips, M. R., & Konradsen, F. (2007) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/1471-2458-7-357 · Cited by 969 · see citing works
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Chidiac, A. S., Buckley, N. A., Noghrehchi, F., & Cairns, R. (2023) · Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology · doi:10.1080/17425255.2023.2223959 · Cited by 215 · see citing works
Toxicological Findings of Self-Poisoning Suicidal Deaths: A Systematic Review by Countries
Albano, G. D., Malta, G., La Spina, C., Rifiorito, A., Provenzano, V., Triolo, V., Vaiano, F., Bertol, E., Zerbo, S., & Argo, A. (2022) · Toxics · doi:10.3390/toxics10110654 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
- Authors
- Gharbaoui, M., Ben Khelil, M., Harzallah, H., Benzarti, A., Zhioua, M., & Hamdoun, M.
- Affiliations
- Hôpital Charles-Nicolle (TN)
- Venue
- Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-02
- Volume
- 61
- Pages
- 1-4
- ISSN
- 1752-928X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2898231848
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2
- FWCI
- 2.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Emergency Medicine › Poisoning and overdose treatments
- Keywords
- suicide, self-poisoning, fatal poisoning, drug overdose, pesticide poisoning, suicide epidemiology, suicide prevention, northern Tunisia, young women, unemployment
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Butanes, Caustics, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pesticides, Poisoning, Retrospective Studies, Suicide, Tunisia, Unemployment, Prevalence, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Young Adult
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