A Forensic Epidemiological Investigation of the Characteristics of Completed Suicides in Isfahan Province, Iran

Background: Suicide is a worldwide public health problem with over a million deaths each year. Overall, the suicide rates among Muslim countries is reported at as low, however, there is growing evidence that it is increasing. Suicide is one of the greatest sins in Islam and is strictly forbidden. Therefore, data on the national incidence and prevalence of suicide in Muslim countries may be under-reported. Objectives: The current study aimed at describing the frequency and pattern of deaths due to suicide based on medicolegal autopsy records. Methods: In the current retrospective study, data were collected on all suicide deaths underwent a medicolegal forensic investigation from 01 January, 2013, to 31 December, 2015, in the Isfahan province, Iran. Results: During the study period 576 suicides were identified. Hanging was the most frequent method comprising 335 cases, followed by poisoning and burning with 98 and 87 cases, respectively. Males hanged themselves (68.79%), while females used burning (41.2%). Among the victims, 307 were married and 261 were unmarried. Death due to burning was 3.3 times more frequent among the married cases compared with that of the single ones (P < 0.001). Education status did not significantly contribute to explain differences in the methods of suicide (P value = 0.123). Discussion: The current study results showed that self-burning was a method mostly used by housewives. Due to the heavy influence of Islam on this region, there was a high probability that the true number of suicides is significantly underreported and more detailed investigations are required.