Objective: Suicide attempt may follow a process right from the inception of the first information about suicide until the act itself. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between perception of suicide prevention with the process of suicide attempt and demographic variables following a suicidal attempt.
Method: In this hospital based cross-sectional study, 168 consecutive admitted participants with a suicide attempt were screened, and 109 who met the study criteria were recruited to participate in this study before discharge. They were assessed using the socio-demographic and clinical proforma designed for this study as well as by the Pierce Suicide Intent Scale. To assess the process of suicide attempt and perception of suicide prevention, a 17- item questionnaire was developed and used after rigorous literature search. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient value of this questionnaire found to be 0.84 in the reliability analysis.
Results: Media was the first source of information, and the majority had short duration of preoccupation and interval between making the decision and the actual attempt and the control of emotion during the attempt. A significant positive correlation was observed between the source of the first information and age (p<01), reason for the method used and economic status (p<01), duration since the first information and family history of suicide (p<01). Psychiatric diagnosis had a statistically significant association with the method used (p<01), duration of preoccupation (p<01), preparedness (p<01) and emotional state during the attempt (p<01). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the source of the first information and education (p<01), any psychiatric diagnosis and duration since the first death wish (p<01). On the score of perception about suicide prevention, a significant group difference was observed for marital status, occupation, medical diagnosis, opinion about an attempt, duration since the decision to attempt, and emotional control during the attempt.
Conclusion: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that perception of suicide prevention may vary with the process of suicide attempts and demographic characteristics.