Sociodemographic and clinical profiles of suicidal patients requiring admission to hospitals south of Durban

Abstract

Background: Suicidal behaviour has become a major public health concern worldwide. Non-fatal suicidal attempts outnumber fatal episodes by wide-ranging figures across, and within, many countries. Approximately 6 500 suicides and 130 000 suicide attempts occur annually in South Africa, with at least one suicide taking place every 40 seconds, compared to one suicide attempt every three seconds. It is more common for all forms of suicidal behaviour to occur in younger persons. This study aimed to analyse the characteristics of suicide attempters who were admitted to two community-based state hospitals in the south of Durban.