Suicide attempt in pupils and university students: A Tunisian case study of 61 cases

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Published Apr 3, 2013
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Vol. 91 No. 3 (2013): Issue Mar 2013

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Othman Amami
Jihene Aloulou
Monia Elleuch
Lobna Aribi
Wissem Sdiri
Hayfa Romdhane
Service de Gastro-entérologie A. Hôpital la Rabta. Tunis
Dorra Mbarek

Abstract

Aim: To determine the global profile of pupils and university students who made suicide attempts.
Methods: We have retrospectively examined 1623 files of pupils and university students who have consulted the psycho-pedagogical unit of psychiatry department « B » of Hedi Chaker Hospital, Sfax –Tunisia, during this time span from January 1997 to December 2009. We have taken a census 61 of files of those consulting for suicide attempts.
Results: The prevalence of suicide attempts in Tunisian pupils and university students is low (3.75 %) and is probably due to sociocultural considerations. It is often a young girl (70.5%) having school difficulties (50.8%) and adaptation problems (60.6 %), impulsively accomplishing her suicide attempt (91.8%), at home (83.6 %), by
drug ingestion (70.6%).
Conclusion: This profile shows the major need for communication within the family, and for the generalization of listening units at schools and universities.

Keywords:

Suicide attempt; pupils, university students, psycho-pedagogical unit

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