Analysis of Patients Followed-up at the Emergency Internal Medicine Outpatients Department of Gulhane Military Hospital in 2003 for Suicide Attempt

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the suicide attempt cases monitored and treated at a training hospitals emergency medicine department internal medicine clinic. Methodology: A total of 151 cases were monitored and treated for a suicide attempt between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2003. Cases were evaluated for sociodemographic characteristics, diagnoses made, suicide method used and time of suicide attempts and for significant relations between these variables. Results: Of the study group, 59.6% were male, 70.2% were single, 60.3% were retired or unemployed, 51.75% were privates (Non Professional Soldiers) and 36.4% were high school graduates. The mean age was 27.36 +/- 11 for the females and 22.27 +/- 4.56 for the males. No diagnosis was made in 54.3% of the cases while 25.2% had depressive disorder and 14.6% had antisocial personality disorder. Antidepressants made up 27.8% and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 21.2% of the drugs taken for suicide. Conclusion: Suicide is an increasing health problem in Turkey. Establishing a suicide surveillance program based on technology provides collection of detailed and standardized data. Analyzing this data will improve effective suicide prevention efforts.