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Drugs and Suicide Attempts in Benin City, Nigeria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Adego E. Eferakeya
Adego E. Eferakeya*
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria
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Summary

A review of reported cases of attempted suicide in Benin City indicates that the incidence has not increased over the four-year period 1978 to 1981, during which the average crude suicide attempt rate was 7 per 100, 000. Eighty seven per cent of the attempters were under the age of 30, but the commonest age-group was 15–19 years (39.4 per cent). The female/male ratio was 1:1.2. The majority of the attempters (64 per cent) were students, housewives, and the unemployed. Ingestion of drugs (68 per cent) or of chemicals (20 per cent) was the predominant method. The major predisposing factors were mental illness (32 per cent) and conflicts with parents (24 per cent).

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 145 , Issue 1 , July 1984 , pp. 70 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © 1984 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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