Epidemiological Study of Suicide Attempts in Poldokhtar, Lorestan Province, Iran

Background & Aims: Suicide represents a major public health challenge in Iran, with considerable regional variation across provinces. Given the paucity of local data, this study aimed to investigate the epidemiological profile and sociodemographic predictors of suicide attempts in Poldokhtar, Iran, between ۲۰۱۳ and ۲۰۱۷. Materials and Methods: A descriptive,‑analytical, cross-sectional design was applied using census sampling of ۵۰۸ documented suicide cases recorded in hospital archives. Data concerning age, gender, marital status, education, occupation, residence, and method of attempt were extracted and analyzed through the chi-square test and binary logistic regression using STATA software (version ۱۴), with significance set at P < ۰.۰۵. Results: The five-year prevalence of suicide attempts was ۱۲۵ per ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ population, exceeding rates reported from other Iranian regions and global averages. Females accounted for ۶۰.۲% of attempts, peaking at ۷۱% in ۲۰۱۶. The largest subgroup comprised young adults aged ۱۵–۲۴ (۴۰.۳%), married persons (۶۳.۴%), and homemakers (۲۹.۳%); over half (۵۲.۴%) resided in rural areas. Psychotropic drug and toxin ingestion was the dominant method (۵۲.۵%). Significant associations emerged with age ۲۵–۳۴ (P = ۰.۰۲) and ۳۵–۴۴ (P = ۰.۰۵), male gender (P = ۰.۰۳), widowhood and divorce (P = ۰.۰۱–۰.۰۴), homemaker status (P = ۰.۰۳), rural residence (P = ۰.۰۲), and illiteracy (P = ۰.۰۴). Logistic regression identified female gender (odds ratio [OR] = ۱.۸۰), low education (OR = ۲.۲۹), widowhood/divorce (OR = ۲.۰۳), rural residence (OR = ۱.۶۵), housewife occupation (OR = ۱.۴۱), and middle adulthood (OR = ۱.۵۸) as independent predictors of high‑lethality methods. Conclusion:  These findings delineate a coherent high-risk profile—low-educated, rural, widowed or divorced middle-aged women under domestic and social strain—whose cumulative vulnerabilities increase both the occurrence and lethality of suicide attempts. The modest yet significant rise in female cases across years underscores evolving sociocultural stressors and inadequate mental‑health access. Targeted, gender‑responsive, community-based interventions emphasizing mental‑health literacy, family communication, and economic empowerment are urgently warranted to mitigate suicide risk and lethality in Poldokhtar and analogous settings.

کلیدواژه ها:

Attempted ، Education ، Epidemiology ، Iran ، Lethality ، Poldokhtar ، Rural Population ، Suicide ، Syntheticr