“Study of Risk Factors for Suicidal Behavior in Nepal.”

Background: On the most fundamental existential level we pay attention to suicide because it is there, has a kind of riveting compulsion to it and is an unavoidable, sometimes devastating life issue. Aims and objectives: The major focus of this study is to find out the familial status of suicidal victim depending upon the marital status, marital adjustments and type of family and to identify the dominance of age group of suicidal victims according to sex. Material and Methods: Descriptive study of 100 fatal suspected suicidal cases brought for postmortem examination at BPKIHS, Dharan from January 2007 to April 2008. Pre-tested questionnaire was used to obtain data by direct interview with the visitor of the victim and information available on police record. Results: Majority of suicidal victims (47%) were married living with spouses while over one third (37%) victims were unmarried. Out of 51 male victims 24(48.98%) victims were married and 19 (38.77%) were unmarried whereas amongst in females 23 (45.10%) victims were married and (18or 35.29%) were unmarried. Out of remaining victims, widows were 8(15.69%) and widowers were 4(8.16%). It is observed that out of 63 married victims including divorced and separated, over half of the victims (34 or 53.97%) had very poor marital adjustment while 6(9.52%) of the victims relations with their spouses were already broken (divorced or separated). Conclusion: This study illustrates that age is a potent factor in increased suicide rates especially the adults are because as the age advances we generally experience more loses and dearth from physical to social to the cognitive to the financial aspects. Similarly the majority suicide among the married victims with poor marital and familial adjustment entails a disturbed family life is a stressor abetting suicide.