Abstract
This study was aimed at identifying the general characteristics and different factors
related to the commission of suicide, and the factors affecting the accomplishment of
suicide between residents of Khanuworalaksaburi and Khlongkhlung districts in 2007.
Secondary information on the patients was obtained from the report 506 DS in 2007. The
data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test and logistic regression.
The study included 110 patients, 12 were successful in committing suicide, equal to
10.6 percent of the total. The death rate of Khlongkhlung’s victims was four-fold greater
than Khanuworalasaburi’s. Nearly all of the suidcides committed were Thai agriculturists,
in the working-age group and married. The prevalence in females was four times
higher than in males. For most of the subjects, it was their first attempt; of those who
survived, they were reluctant to repeat the suicide attempt. Most of the victims had two
or more precipitating factors: the most common was depression, physically chronic
diseases and having sufferred abuse; these were enabling factors but not significant.
Most of the victims received service provision two or more times. The comparative study
indicated that there was significance in the different modes of committing suicide, especially
with regard to the use of insecticide, and physically chronic illness, particularly
rheumatic diseases, as well as tobacco addiction. The types of services provision included
making suggestions to their relatives, handout distribution, medication for depressive
disorder, other supportive services such as referral for repeated suicide attempts. The
risk factors and service provision were both significant factors in decreasing the success
rate of those intending to commit suicide. Having suffered abuse was an important factor
in raising the success rate. The authors suggest that the provision of good-quality and
appropriate services would effectively decrease the success of attempts to commit suicide,
while the screening for the precipitating factors and a change in abusive behavior
would reduce the number of attempts.
