title: Self-inflicted burns fatalities in Manipal, India.
abstract: Death due to burns is an important public health problem. Suicide by burning is uncommon in the Western world compared with Asian countries. This study presents retrospective research carried out in the tertiary care teaching hospital of Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Southern India, between January 1993 to December 2003 (11 years). Out of a total of 343 burns deaths during the above-mentioned period, 39 were victims of suicide. The majority of deaths (46.1%) occurred in the 21-30 years age group, with a preponderance of the female sex (79.5%). Most of the victims belonged to the Hindu religion and the incident occurred mostly during the daytime. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the incident occurred at home (97.4%). In all cases kerosene was the accelerant and flame was the causative agent. In more than fifty per cent of cases, the total body surface area (TBSA) involved was more than 80%. Dowry demands and harassment were the reasons for committng suicide in 12 cases. More stringent laws and empowering female independence, both mentally and economically, will reduce suicidal burns in young women.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Forensic Medicine, Dr Pinnamaneni Siddharthe Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation, Chinoutpalli, Gannavaram mandal, Krisha Diet - 521286, Andhra Pradesh.
authors.forename: Manoj Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arun
authors.forename: Francis N P
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palimar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002056:Burns / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D012067:Religion; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000401:mortality*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors