Suicide attempts by exposure to toxic agents registered in a Toxicological Information and Assistance Center in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, 2013

Abstract

Objective:  to describe cases of suicide attempts by exposure to toxic agents registered by the Toxicological Information and Assistance Center in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.

Methods:  this is a descriptive study using secondary data of the cases registered in 2013.

Results:  410 cases were registered; 56.2% of the individuals were female and 79.7% were between 12 and 39 years old; most of them (86.4%) lived in urban areas and 67.2%, in Fortaleza; in 94.9% of the cases, the exposure took place in the individual’s own home; the toxic agents most commonly used were pesticides (42.9%), especially for agricultural use (30.2%), medicines (39.5%) and house cleaning products (3.4%); of 16 suicide attempts that resulted in death, 15 were caused by agricultural pesticides.

Conclusion:  the study shows that the intake of toxic agents, especially of agricultural pesticides, is a common method used in suicide attempts; the integration between actions of promotion and prevention are essential.

Key Words: Suicide Attempted; Pesticides; Poisoning; Information Centers; Epidemiology, Descriptive