Original Research

Parasuicide among youth in a general hospital in South Africa

T Mhlongo
Curationis | Vol 22, No 2 | a735 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/curationis.v22i2.735 | © 1999 T Mhlongo | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 27 September 1999 | Published: 27 September 1999

About the author(s)

T Mhlongo,, South Africa

Full Text:

PDF (179KB)

Abstract

Parasuicide cases among youth (15-24 years) referred to the clinical psychology section of a regional hospital from 1995 to 1998 were reviewed. In all 100 cases (37 males and 63 females) were identified being about 10% of the caseload. As part of the clinical psychological assessment sociodemographic, clinical characteristics, trigger factors, employed methods and suicide intentions were analysed. Most patients were students (79%) or unemployed (16%). The major method employed to attempt suicide was ingestion of harmful substances (like paraffin, pesticides or battery acid)(73%). Acute social conflicts (38%), socio-economic deprivation (17%), AIDS phobia (17%), academic failure (14%), teenage pregnancy (10%) and mental illness (5%) triggered suicide attempts. Fifty-eight percent of the attempts were categorised as demonstrative and 27% as genuine. The psychodynamics of parasuicides are discussed in case studies and with reference to other studies.

Keywords

No related keywords in the metadata.

Metrics

Total abstract views: 5490
Total article views: 8048

 

Crossref Citations

1. Does unemployment aggravate suicide rates in South Africa? Some empirical evidence
Andrew Phiri, Doreen Mukuku
Review of Social Economy  vol: 78  issue: 4  first page: 532  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1080/00346764.2019.1630667

2. Self-harm with suicidal and non-suicidal intent in young people in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review
Emmanuel N-B Quarshie, Mitch G. Waterman, Allan O. House
BMC Psychiatry  vol: 20  issue: 1  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1186/s12888-020-02587-z

3. The profile of the overdose patient presenting at Paarl Hospital Emergency Department
C Laubscher, EEM Van Rooyen
South African Family Practice  vol: 49  issue: 2  first page: 16  year: 2007  
doi: 10.1080/20786204.2007.10873510

4. Current pesticide suicide surveillance methods used across the African continent: a scoping review
Maxine Jonker, Ayanthi Karunarathne, Leah Utyasheva, Michael Eddleston, Flemming Konradsen, Hanna-Andrea Rother
BMJ Open  vol: 15  issue: 10  first page: e103770  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-103770

5. Negative Life Events Associated With Deliberate Self-Harm in an African Population in Uganda
E. Kinyanda, H. Hjelmeland, S. Musisi
Crisis  vol: 26  issue: 1  first page: 4  year: 2005  
doi: 10.1027/0227-5910.26.1.4

6. Toxicoepidemiology in Zimbabwe: Admissions Resulting from Exposure to Paraffin (Kerosene)
D. Tagwireyi, D. E. Ball, C. F. B. Nhachi
Clinical Toxicology  vol: 44  issue: 2  first page: 103  year: 2006  
doi: 10.1080/15563650500514277

7. Attempted Suicide Among Iranian Population
Homayoun Sheikholeslami, Camellia Kani, Amir Ziaee
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior  vol: 38  issue: 4  first page: 456  year: 2008  
doi: 10.1521/suli.2008.38.4.456

8. Suicide-Related Behaviours among Secondary School Adolescents in the Welkom and Bethlehem Areas of the Free State Province (South Africa)
T-A.B. Mashego, S.N. Madu
South African Journal of Psychology  vol: 39  issue: 4  first page: 489  year: 2009  
doi: 10.1177/008124630903900410

9. Effectiveness of a Buddy intervention support programme for suicidal behaviour in a primary care setting
SS Naidoo, P Gathiram, L Schlebusch
South African Family Practice  vol: 56  issue: 5  first page: 263  year: 2014  
doi: 10.1080/20786190.2014.980159

10. ADOLESCENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF STRESSORS CONTRIBUTING TO SUICIDAL BEHAVIOUR
Henriëtte Van den Berg, Hester Tancred, Dap Louw
Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development  vol: 26  issue: 2  first page: 192  year: 2017  
doi: 10.25159/2415-5829/2243

11. “Why I tried to kill myself”—an exploration of the factors contributing to suicide in the Waterberg District
PM Mpiana, GJO Marincowitz, S Ragavan, N Malete
South African Family Practice  vol: 46  issue: 7  first page: 21  year: 2004  
doi: 10.1080/20786204.2004.10873109

12. The Prevalence of Suicidal Behaviours among Secondary School Adolescents in the Limpopo Province, South Africa
S. N. Madu, M. P. Matla
South African Journal of Psychology  vol: 33  issue: 2  first page: 126  year: 2003  
doi: 10.1177/008124630303300208