Attempted Suicide by Burning: A Cross-sectional Analysis at a Regional Burn Center in Germany

Abstract

Attempted suicide by self-immolation or burning constitutes an uncommon form of attempted suicide in high income countries, presenting substantial challenges to burn units. The aim of this study was to analyze the epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes in intensive care burn patients treated for attempted suicide by burning. For this purpose, we examined intensive care burn patients admitted to a single major burn unit between March 2007 and December 2020. Demographic, clinical, epidemiological and mortality data were collected and analyzed. Major psychiatric comorbidities were evaluated according to ICD-9 and ICD-10 classifications. A total of 1325 intensive care unit burn patients were included. Suicide by burning was attempted in 45 cases (3.4%). Attempted suicide victims presented with significantly higher burn severity, reflected by higher abbreviated burn severity index scores and larger total body surface area affected. Burned total body surface area ≥30% and inhalation injuries were observed more frequently in suicidal patients. These patients also experienced prolonged hospital and intensive care unit length of stay, required more frequent surgical interventions and mechanical ventilation more frequently and had significantly longer periods on ventilation, causing an overall higher mortality rate (24.4%). Psychiatric comorbidities were present in 75.6% of patients who attempted suicide. Despite the low prevalence, burn severity and mortality are considerably high in patients who attempted suicide by burning, presenting a significant challenge for healthcare providers. The majority of patients had a history of psychiatric disorder, highlighting the importance of identifying patients at high-risk who may profit from increased psychiatric intervention.

Challenges and reactions of families of women survived self-immolation: A qualitative study in western Iran.

“…Other reasons for self-immolation include showing courage, scaring the family, getting attention, creating a sense of pity and guilt, imitating someone, and having access to fire (Amin et al, 2018; Michelsen, 2015; Obed et al, 2022; Taban et al, 2019; Yoosefi Lebni et al, 2019). But the most important reason for self-immolation is to protest an existing situation (Moftakhar et al, 2023; Taban et al, 2019).…”