Farhat Basher, Ajeet Kumar, Rajesh, Nahida Begum, Muhammad Ali Shoaib, Muhammad Ishaq Ghauri.
Gender Differences in Risk Factors and Patterns Contributing Towards Deliberate Self-Poisoning.
Ann Abbasi Shaheed Hosp Karachi Med Dent Coll Jan ;20(1):23-8.

Objective: To determine the gender differences in risk factors and patterns contributing towards deliberate self-poisoning. Methods: A descriptive study of patients admitted in National Poisoning Control Center Ward-5, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center Karachi, was conducted for six months from 1st July 2013 to 1st January 2014. The information was gathered using a questionnaire generated from World Health Organization, International Programme on Chemical Safety's INTOX (WHO IPCS INTOX) recording format for toxic exposure the data was analyzed on package SPSS version 14.0. The results were obtained in numbers and percentages. The Chi-square test was used for statistical differences of risk factors for deliberate self-poisoning in relation to gender. p-values of <0.05 were considered significant. Results: Out of the 374 patients analyzed during this period the age group most frequent was within the range of 15-74 years, with 61.5% of the subjects being male. No significant age difference was observed between male and female subjects. Single male subjects represented the largest population which attempted deliberate self-poisoning. History of psychiatric illness and drug abuse was more common in male subjects. There was no significant difference in educational status, agent used for Deliberate Self-Poisoning (DSP), number of agents used or route of exposure in the two genders. The agent most commonly used was organophosphate insecticide. Conclusion: Young single males belonging to low socioeconomic group and having history of psychiatric illness or drug abuse are at greater risk of Deliberate Self-Poisoning (DSP). Preventive strategies need to be directed at this population.

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