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Different methods of suicide, when combined with contamination of the scene, increase the difficulty of interpreting the dynamics of an event. In the presented case, the discovery of a corpse with widespread burns, singed hair, an “X”-shaped cut on the arm with a weapon distant from the body, and the death scene significantly altered by subjects with psychiatric disorders raised the hypothesis of murder in the initial phase. However, the integration of the death scene investigation with medicolegal, toxicological, and radiological analyses allowed for the identification of an unusual unplanned complex suicide by arm cutting, poisoning, and self-immolation.

Normal levels of HOCl can resist pathogen invasion and maintain cellular redox balance. However, excessive HOCl can easily harm the ecological environment and human health. Establishing a reliable approach for detection of HOCl can help resolve controversial issues regarding HOCl in physiological systems and help detect HOCl in complex environmental water samples. This study presents the design and evaluation of a HOCl-specific self-immolative fluorescent probe (OX-OCl), which is based on the N-protected phenoxazine dye structure. In aqueous solution, the probe demonstrates a rapid and highly specific response to HOCl within a brief time frame of 15 s, exhibiting good sensitivity with a limit of detection (LOD) of 15.3 nM. Notably, the reaction of OX-OCl with HOCl results in substantial changes in both UV absorption and fluorescence emission. Benefit from this, smartphone-assisted colorimetric and fluorescent sensing platforms had been developed for real-time monitoring of HOCl. Furthermore, owing to its excellent biocompatibility, OX-OCl has been successfully utilized for near-infrared bioimaging of HOCl in live cells and mouse models of arthritis. In brief, this probe offers a new perspective for the convenient monitoring of HOCl in environmental contexts and provides a visual tool for the early clinical diagnosis of related diseases., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Given the up to 70% fatality rate of self-immolation, with tragic consequences for survivors, proposals have been made for a global task force to prevent self-immolation. However, little research has recently been conducted on the actual situation of patients who attempt self-immolation in Japan. The current study aimed to investigate the actual situation of patients who attempt self-immolation in Akita Prefecture. Result: Within Akita Prefecture, 13 individuals had attempted self-immolation in the past 5 years, with a predominance of a history of psychiatric disorders (46%). The following three novel findings were also revealed. First, patients with low a prognostic burn index tended to commit arson, while those with a high prognostic burn index tended to self-immolate. Second, patients attempting suicide tended to have a higher incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning. Third, those whose clothes caught on fire tended have more severe burns, regardless of whether suicide was attempted. Conclusion: Self-immolation tends to be serious, and prevention is imperative. In Akita Prefecture, the percentage of patients with a history of psychiatric disorders may be higher than commonly believed, and a more detailed understanding of the mental state of self-immolation is necessary in the future to develop effective prevention measures.

Background: Women confront a slew of issues following self-immolation, and it is crucial to examine how women react after self-immolation and live with their scars. Therefore, this study was conducted with the aim of exploring the coping strategies of Kurdish women following self-immolation using a qualitative methodology., Methods: The conventional content analysis approach was used in this qualitative investigation. Semi-structured face-to-face and phone interviews were conducted with 26 Kurdish women who had self-immolated and were chosen using purposeful sampling and snowballing for this study. To reinforce the research, Guba and Lincoln's trustworthiness criteria were fulfilled., Results: The data analysis yielded 2 categories, 11 subcategories, and 85 initial codes. Positive coping is one of the categories and subcategories (spirituality, rebuilding their body, psychological rehabilitation, hiding the scars, restoring self-confidence, changing the lifestyle, forming a new life) 2- Negative coping (separation from society, neglecting the body and mind, violence and aggression, staying in the past)., Conclusion: Using the capacity of religious organizations to help victims of self-immolation, providing appropriate conditions and facilities to heal the scars caused by self-immolation, and facilitating access to counseling services can provide the conditions for women to better adapt after self-immolation., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 International Society of Burns Injuries. All rights reserved.)

Self-immolation is the act of setting fire to oneself. Recent spikes in self-immolation events have been noticed in the Arab world, specifically in the aftermath of the Arab Spring in 2011. We aimed to examine the literature assessing the characteristics and patterns of suicide by self-immolation in the Arab world. We registered our systematic review in Prospero. We searched PubMed, Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, and Scopus databases from inception until 9 July 2022, along with other sources, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We collected relevant articles tackling suicide by self-immolation in the Arab world via title and abstract screening followed by full-text screening. We then conducted a narrative synthesis of the results. Out of 326 records from databases and 17 additional records identified through other sources, 31 articles (27 quantitative and 4 qualitative) were included. The studies came from Iraq (n = 16), Tunisia (n = 6), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (n = 3), Jordan (n = 2), Libya (n = 2), Bahrain (n = 1), and Egypt (n = 1). The quantitative studies had a sample size ranging from 22 to 600 self-inflicted burn victims. Studies showed that self-immolators were mostly married women with low educational level and low socioeconomic status. Self-immolation was more likely to happen at home, usually following marital conflicts. Kerosene was the accelerant used the most. Depression was the most comorbid mental health diagnosis. Studies highlighted that self-immolation was being increasignly used as a form of protest. Self-immolation is not uncommon in the Arab world. Specific interventions directed at the population at risk are warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest This paper has no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine whether the increased restrictions, isolation and stressors associated with COVID-19 led to an increase in rates or severity of self-immolation burn injuries., Design: Retrospective review of a prospectively-collected database of New South Wales burn patients, comparing 2020 data with the preceding 5 years., Setting: Both adult units in the New South Wales Statewide Burn Injury Service (Concord Repatriation General Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospital)., Participants: All adult patients in New South Wales with self-inflicted burn injuries between 1st January 2015 and 31st December 2020., Outcome Measures: Demographic information, precipitating factors, burn severity, morbidity and mortality outcomes., Results: We found18 episodes of self-immolation in 2020, compared to an average of 10 per year previously. Burn size significantly increased (43% total body surface area vs 28%) as did revised Baux score (92 vs 77). Most patients had a pre-existing psychiatric illness. Family conflict and acute psychiatric illness were the most common precipitating factors., Conclusion: 2020 saw an increase in both the frequency and severity of self-inflicted burn injuries in New South Wales, with psychiatric illness a major factor., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Background: Suicide is one of the most important causes of death in the world. A critical problem that Iraqi women in Kurdistan are facing is self-immolation. Deformity caused by burn can have many psychological effects on the individuals, including self-image disorder, loss of quality of life, low self-confidence, and disturbances in social interactions., Methods: A qualitative research method with a grounded theory approach was used to achieve the research objectives. Sampling started purposefully and continued with theoretical sampling until access to sufficient knowledge about the phenomenon under investigation. In this study, 22 in-depth interviews were carried out with 19 women participants who had committed self-immolation., Findings: After the data analysis, six main categories were formed, including; 1- Facing the inevitable harsh reality. 2- Experiencing negative reactions from others 3- Drowning in the vicious cycle of hopelessness and regret. 4- A bitter journey into the whirlpool of fear and uncertainty. 5- Germination of the hope buds. 6- Re-building weakened self-esteem. "Stepping on the rugged path of distorted image reconstruction" was the core variable in the study., Conclusion: Although people take some steps to adapt to the situation and deformity, they do not achieve full acceptance of the present circumstances. In this process, the person hopes to regain the lost beauty and does not effortlessly accept the deformity. Instead, she will try everything to get rid of deformity and restore the lost beauty. During the adaptation process, nurses and health care providers, the family and the community have a unique role in accelerating or slowing the process of adaptation., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: The prevalence of self-immolation is significantly higher in some Middle Eastern and Central Asian Islamic countries than in Western countries. Self-immolation typically occurs among females and can be either an attempt at suicide or an act of protest. This systematic review examined the drivers and consequences of self-immolation in Asian Islamic countries from the perspective of those affected by it, including survivors, family and health care staff in order to understand its higher prevalence in these countries., Method: A systematic review of qualitative studies was conducted in June 2018, using five electronic databases: PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Scopus and PsycINFO. Of the 236 papers identified, seven met the inclusion criteria. Authors independently rated the reporting of included qualitative studies and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data., Results: The drivers of self-immolation included marital and familial conflict, male-dominated culture, mental health disorders and economic and social factors. Survivors chose self-immolation in order to express their sense of a lack of control and mostly utilised this method due to its accessibility. The consequences of self-immolation were social isolation, regret, and physical and psychological impacts., Conclusions: The reasons for self-immolation, its prevalence and the demographics of those who choose this means vary significantly between Asian Islamic and Western countries. This review confirmed the impact of culture, tradition, and societal structures and relationships on people's decisions to self-immolate. Education about the consequences of self-immolation may reduce the use of this method., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

The body of a 53-year-old man was found in a burning car. The ignition key was in start position and the accelerator pedal was held down by his right foot. Autopsy revealed a gunshot entrance wound in the hard palate, a bullet track through the anterior cranial fossa and a projectile lodged in the left frontal lobe. The brain stem was free of lesions and any signs of secondary brain injury, such as brain oedema and intracranial haemorrhage, were not significant. Soot deposits and thermal injury to the mucosa were observed in the airways below the glottis and carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) saturation was 40%. A single bullet case and a handgun were recovered next to the driver's seat. Fire investigators identified the motor as the beginning of the burning: therefore, the conclusion was that the car had caught fire due to overheating of the engine. Differential diagnosis between complex and complicated suicide was essential. The cause of death was identified as carbon monoxide intoxication, and the injuries to the brain were not felt to be immediately fatal. The case has been classified as a complicated suicide. There are no other published cases of a complicated suicide involving exposure to fire or the use of firearms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Self-immolation is one of the most painful methods of suicide which is widespread among women in Kurdish regions of Iran. The present study aimed to explore the causes and sociocultural groundwork of choosing self-immolation methods by women in Kurdish regions of Iran. This present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis. The research population included women who self-immolated and were rescued in Kurdish regions of Iran. The data collection method was a deep interview as well as observation. The sampling method was based on objective and snowball sampling. The data collection continued to theoretical saturation, the number of participants reached 25 in the end, and Lincoln and Guba criteria were used to strengthen the research. From the analysis of the data obtained in this study, the 8 sub-themes related to cause of suicide attempt from the participants' viewpoints including unbridled coherence, lack of supportive social and environmental structures, economic pressure, aggravation of violence, humiliated ego, dominance of modern values over the local and indigenous ones, incoherent family, and giving up on changing conditions as well as 6 sub themes based on the cause of choosing the method of self-immolation including protesting, frightening the family, catching more attention, championing and showing courage, inducing more guilty feelings in the family and society, fashion or imitation, and easy access were revealed. Self-immolation is one of the most important problems in the Kurdish regions of Iran, which is rooted in various economic, social, psychological and cultural causes. To reduce this social harm, there is a need for comprehensive programs that cover all dimensions., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Background: In new strategies towards of suicide prevention the best approach currently is based on specific method had specific risk factors. Therefore in this study we aimed to find out the association between socio-demographic factors and methods in completed suicide, 2011-2016, Ilam province., Methods: A cross-sectional study, 2011-2016, was conducted. A total of 540 completed suicides were recruited to the study. Data were collected by systematic registration suicide data (SRSD) and Legal Medicine Organization (LMO). After performs of descriptive statistics, to analysis of effects of each independent variable to the methods Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) was used, also adjusted odds ratio (AOR) was used to reporting of associations., Results: According to the result (55.8%) of deaths were occurred by hanging and self-immolation also a majority of suicides were occurred in females (60%). The important methods in males and females were hanging (70.6%) and self-immolation (72.8%), respectively. The self-immolation vs. others was significantly higher in cases that have mental disorders (AOR) = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.78); also in cases with financial problem (AOR) = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.28, 5.71)., Conclusion: According to the finding age groups, gender, marital status, residence, and mental disorders are the important risk factors that effects on choosing of methods. Therefore consideration of this excess risk by this mentioned factors in prevention programs can be reducing the risk of death from suicide in society., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Self-immolation or self-inflicted burn is the most tragic and violent method of suicide. The higher prevalence of this dramatic phenomenon in Iran is a serious social and health problem. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to combine the results from available studies to examine the epidemiology and socio-demographic characteristics of individuals who attempted self-immolation in Iran., Method: Pertinent studies were identified by searching the electronic bibliographic databases including PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Iran Medex, Magiran, Medlib and Scientific Information Database (SID) (2000-October 2016). Meta-analysis was used to summarize the research results on socio-demographic risk factors of self-immolation in Iran. The STROBE checklist was used to assess quality of the study. The random effect model was employed in the meta-analysis to account for the observed heterogeneity among the selected studies., Results: Twenty-nine studies (sample size=5717) were included in the meta-analysis. The estimated average age of individuals who attempted self-immolation was 27.31 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25.81-28.81) years. Women account for 70% (95% CI: 64-77) of all self-immolation attempts in Iran. Thirty-nine (95% CI: 34-43) per cent of all self-immolation were among singles. Nineteen (95% CI: 16-22) per cent of self-immolators had mental disorder. Meta-regression model showed that the average age of individuals who attempted self-immolation increased significantly over the period between 2000 to 2016 (P-value=0.006)., Conclusions: Our study indicated that individuals who attempted self-immolation in Iran were mainly women, married and young adults., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Background: Intentional self-inflicted burn injuries are a rare occurrence in the United States, but they represent a considerable portion of all burn injuries in the developing world. Compared to nonintentional burns, patients with intentional self-inflicted burns have increased rates of higher total body surface area involvement and associated complications, including overall mortality., Methods: We present 2 representative cases and review the available literature on the topic of self-inflicted burns. We review epidemiologic, social, and cultural factors of importance, and also provide an overview of most common psychiatric pathologies encountered in patients with self-inflicted burns., Results: The patient demographics and motivation for intentional self-inflicted burn injuries differ considerably across the world. Although self-immolation is commonly associated with women experiencing domestic stress in the developing world, most cases of self-immolation in higher-income countries are males. Psychiatric pathologies, including primary mood and thought disorders and substance use, play a significant component in latter cases, while most patients in the developing world lack any premorbid psychiatric diagnosis, or carry diagnosis of adjustment disorder., Conclusions: Nonlethal self-burns present a distinct subset of intentional self-burn injuries, often occurring in the context of significant personality pathology, or with potential secondary gain., (Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In Tunisia, the phenomenon of self-immolation has increased dramatically since the self-burn of Mohamed Bouazizi which occurred on 17 December 2010. The aim of our study was to compare the casualties' profile of suicide by self-immolation before and after the Tunisian Revolution over a period of 10 years (2006-2015)., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review including all the cases of self-immolation suicides that occurred in Northern Tunisia five years before and five years after the January 2011 Revolution. We excluded cases of self-immolations committed in governorates other than the north of Tunisia as well as casualties of accidental or criminal burns and those where the context could evoke suicidal immolation but the self-inflicted nature has not been confirmed. The study sample was subdivided in two groups according to the Revolution date: before the Revolution (2006-2010) and after the Revolution (2011-2015). We compared for each group data related to the age, gender, marital status, employment, mental disease history, previous suicide attempts and threats, place of suicide and its motive, the type of fire accelerator, the hospitalization and the average body surface area burned., Results: The number (n=48/24.5% before 2011) of suicide by self-immolation has tripled during the post-revolution period (2011-2015) with a stable trend. The average age (35.6±13.4) has not changed. The male remained predominant before and after the Revolution (sex ratio of respectively 1.67 and 3.23). Marital status (victims being single in n=81 cases/41.3%) and the employment (unemployed in n=128/65.3%) of the casualties have not changed either after 2011. Fewer cases with psychiatric history were reported (n=21/43.7% before against n=52/35.1% after). Self-immolation increased in public places (n=9/18.7% before against n=50/33.8% after) and in an administration (n=2/4.2% before against n=19/12.8% after). More suicides after 2011 were due to financial problems (n=2/4.2% before against n=30/20.3% after) or due to a conflict with a state representative (n=2/4.2% before against n=18/12.2% after) with fewer cases due to a decompensation of mental illness (n=18/37.5% before against n=22/26.4% after)., Conclusion: Our study highlighted modifications of the casualties' profile of self-immolation after the Tunisian Revolution represented essentially by less psychiatric history and more suicides occurring in public places and in front of public administrations as well as suicides motivated by financial problems or conflicts with a state representative. Specific preventive measures should target young unemployed males., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Patients with self-inflicted burns (SIB) are thought to have a longer length of stay compared to patients with accidental burns. However, other predictors for a longer length of stay are often not taken into account, e.g. percentage of the body surface area burned, age or comorbidities. Therefore, we wanted to study the outcome of patients with SIB at our burn center., Methods: A retrospective, observational study was conducted. All adult patients with acute burns admitted to the burn center of the Martini Hospital Groningen, between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 were included. Data on characteristics of the patient, injury, and outcome (LOS, mortality, discharge destination) were collected. In patients with SIB, suicide attempts (SA) were distinguished from self-harm without the intention to die (non-suicidal self-injury, NSSI). To evaluate differences in outcome, each patient with SIB was matched on variables and total score of the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI) to a patient with accidental burns (AB)., Results: In total 29 admissions (21 SA and 8 NSSI) were due to SIB and 528 due to accidents. Overall, when compared to AB, there were significant differences with respect to mortality and LOS for SA and/or NSSI. Mortality was higher in the SA group, while the LOS was higher in both the SA and NSSI groups compared to the AB group. However, after matching on ABSI, no statistical significant differences between the SA and SA-match or the NSSI and NSSI-match group were found., Conclusion: With the right and timely treatment, differences in mortality rate or length of stay in hospital could all be explained by the severity of the burn and the intention of the patient., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Background: Suicide and deliberate self-harm (DSH) are major public health problems globally. There is limited information on suicide and DSH from Afghanistan., Aims: To review available literature on suicide and DSH in Afghanistan., Methods: Using online resources and literature on suicidal behavior (suicide, DSH and suicidal ideation) was searched., Results: There were only seven published studies identified on suicidal behavior in Afghanistan. Six of these have been published since 2003 and majority has focused on suicidal behavior in women., Conclusions: Both DSH and suicide are underreported and understudied subjects in Afghanistan. There is need for more research in this area., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Patients with burns have to live with a variety of long-term physical and psychosocial consequences. Burns lead to prolonged hospital stay, disfiguring scars, disability, and even death. Since self-immolation is common in women of Iraqi Kurdistan, the present study sought to explore the experiences of women living with scars caused by self-immolation. This paper was part of a qualitative research study. A purposive sample of 18 female self-immolation survivors from Iraqi Kurdistan was selected, and 21 individual interviews were conducted and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Four categories emerged during the data analysis: (1) feelings of disbelief, regret, and anger caused by post-burn scars; (2) desperately seeking solutions; (3) grief due to disappointment and surrender to despair; and (4) rejection and isolation. In conclusion, individuals with scars and disfigurements sometimes adopted inappropriate measures to deal with the psychological problems caused by others' behaviors and wrong perceptions. Educational and support programs are hence indicated to promote awareness levels of self-immolation survivors, their families, and the whole society., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: In Tunisia, few data are available about self-immolation epidemiology especially in the absence of official statistics on suicides. The aim of our study was to analyze the trends of suicide by self-immolation over a period of ten years (2005-2014)., Methods: We conducted a descriptive, retrospective study including all the cases of self-immolation suicides that occurred over a period of 10 years (2005-2014) and autopsied in the Department of Legal Medicine of the Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis, including self-immolation occurring in Northern Tunisia as well as those committed in remaining governorates and transferred before death to the central intensive care unit of burnt in Tunis receiving patients from all over Tunisia (about 80% of cases occurring in Tunisia)., Results: 235 cases of self-immolation were collected. The average age at death was 34.1±12.43 years (range 14-83 years). Gender ratio was of 3.27. Psychiatric history was mentioned in 32.8% of cases, represented by schizophrenia in 17.9% and depression in 12.3% of cases. 12.3% had a history of suicide attempts, and 7.3% presented a history of suicidal threats. The number of casualties of suicide by self-immolation tripled after 2011 with a rising trend during the next three years and slight drop in 2014. The most reported reason in our study was decompensation of a psychiatric illness (24.7%). Self-immolation occurred most frequently in a private home (34.5%) or a public place (30.2)., Conclusion: Our study showed that self-immolation affects essentially, young men, who are unemployed and mostly having mental diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Self-immolation is a common method of suicide among Iranian women. There are several contributing motives for attempting self-immolation, and exploration of the process of self-immolation incidents will help interventionists and clinicians develop prevention programs., Methods: A grounded theory study using face-to-face, recorded interviews was conducted with surviving self-immolated patients (n=14), their close relatives (n=5), and medical staff (n=8) in Kermanshah, Iran. Data were analyzed using constant comparison in open, axial, and selective coding stages., Results: A conceptual model was developed to explain the relationships among the main categories extracted through the grounded theory study. Family conflicts emerged as the core category. Cultural context of self-immolated patients offered a contextual condition. Other important categories linked to the core category were mental health problems, distinct characteristics of the suicidal method, and self-immolation as a threat. The role of mental health problems as a causal condition was detected in different levels of the self-immolation process. Finally, adverse consequences of self-immolation emerged as having important impact., Conclusion: The conceptual model, derived through grounded theory study, can guide design of prevention programs. The pivotal role of family conflicts should be emphasized in mental health interventions. The impact of adverse consequences of self-immolation on further suicidal processes necessitates post-suicide prevention programs. Further research to design specific interventions is recommended., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Self-immolation is the third leading cause of years of life lost (YLL) among women in Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate self-immolation-related risk and protective factors in the western region of Iran, a province with the highest prevalent of self-immolation in the country. Using a case-control design, we compared 151 cases of self-immolation attempters who were admitted to a burn center in Kermanshah with 302-matched control group from the same community/locality between March 21st, 2009, and March 20th, 2012. We conducted descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis to examine the associations of self-immolation with demographic and familial risk factors, adverse life events, mental disorders, as well as potential protective factors. According to our findings, the highest percentage of self-immolation was in the 16-25 year-old age group (60%) and in females (76%). Of the potential risk factors in the study, major depression, adjustment disorders, individual history of suicide attempts and opium dependence, were statistically significant predictors of self-immolation. Suggestions for translating the local picture of self-immolation portrayed by our findings, into meaningful prevention strategies that have a good fit with the social and interpersonal context within which self-immolation takes place are discussed., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

News items reporting self-immolation by Tibetans have been on the increase in recent years. After examining the corpse of a Swiss man who had committed suicide by deliberate self-burning, we wondered how often this occurs in Switzerland. The Federal Statistics Office (FSO) does not register self-burning specifically so no official national data on this form of suicide are available. However, we had access to the data from a Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) project Suicides in Switzerland between 2000 and 2010, which collected information on all (4885) cases of suicide investigated by the various institutes of forensic medicine. From this data pool we extracted 50 cases (1.02%) of suicide by self-burning, in order to determine the details and to identify the possible reasons for choosing this method. To look at our results in the light of studies from other countries, we searched the literature for studies that had also retrospectively examined suicide by self-immolation based on forensic records. Our results showed that, on the whole, personal aspects of self-burning in Switzerland do not differ from those in other industrialised nations. Some data, including religious and sociocultural background, were unfortunately missing - not only from our study but also from the similar ones. In our opinion, the most important prevention strategy is to make healthcare professionals more aware of this rare method of suicide., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Suicide, a major problem worldwide, continues to be a criminal offence in most of the developing countries of the world, including India. This paper retrospectively examines the latest trends and the relevant determinants of the suicidal deaths in one of the most important city of central India- Nagpur of Maharashtra state, carried out for a period of 5 years i.e. 2009-2013. Total 2036 cases were analyzed. An alarmingly increasing trend in the rate of suicides has been observed in the region, which increased from 16% to 22.68% during the study period. The male to female suicide ratio was found to be 2.50:1. The rate of suicidal deaths ranged from 15.34 to 21.74 per 100,000 populations. Hanging was found to be the most preferred mean adopted for suicide by males (54.77%) and females (47.65%), while, Family problems was the most common cause of suicide among both male (38.25%) and female (52.65%). The Suicides were concentrated in the age group of 30-44 years for males (35.76%), while in the age group of 15-29 years for females (51.75%). The prevalence was higher among the people who were married, being as high as 1099 (66.73%) males and 372 (56.45%) females. Highest trend has been found among the people with matriculate/secondary education level. The males with job in private sector accounted for 1007 suicides (61.14%) and 434 (65.86%) females in the category of housewives (non-working, homemakers) committed the same., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.)

Non-intentional and deliberate burns in India and other developing countries present particular challenges of prevention and treatment. This exploratory study sought improved understanding of burns in order to inform treatment and prevention. It gathered data in 2011/2012 on burns from the hospital registry (N=768) of a government hospital in India and from interviews with women patients (N=60) admitted to the burns ward. Analysis indicated that: (1) the conditions that facilitate intentional and non-intentional burns are similar, but intentional burns involve additional contributory factors; (2) a high proportion of patients subjected to burns are young women in domestic situations; and (3) a higher proportion of their TBSA was burned, with consequent higher mortality than for men. It was concluded that: (1) Haddon's matrix and the situational crime prevention framework of criminology assist in understanding the etiology of intentional burns and in identifying preventive measures; (2) social service and criminal justice agencies have important roles in dealing with victims of intentional burns during and after treatment; (3) full account should be taken of gender-related physical, psychological and family factors in planning treatment; and (4) maintaining careful records of burns cases is vital for estimating the prevalence and incidence of intentional injuries., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Suicide by self-immolation is one of the great health concerns in developing countries such as Iran. Exploration of motives for attempting suicide by self-immolation in different point of view of people with experience and information on can be considered as a crucial aspect in self-immolation prevention. The study aimed to explore motives for suicide by self-immolation in Kermanshah, Iran., Methods: A qualitative approach using semi-structure interview was employed to explore motives for attempting suicide by self-immolation in Kermanshah, Iran (2012). 15 participants including 9 self-immolated patients, a patient's husband, and 5 members of medical staff of these patients were interviewed. The interviews were taped and transcribed. A content analysis using constant comparison was performed for transcribed interviews., Results: Five main categories were emerged that explore motives for suicide by self-immolation including mental health problems, family problems, cultural context, self-immolation as a threat, and the distinct characteristics of the method. All categories had their specific subcategories which had been integrated based on distinct properties in a given category. More than one motive might be addressed by study participants, which listed in the appropriate categories., Conclusion: There are several reasons for suicide by self-immolation that should be considered in prevention programs. There may be an interactional pattern among the motives. Further study to explore process of the interactional pattern is recommended., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.)