Epidemiological study of self-immolated patients referring to Velayat burn and reconstructive surgery center of Rasht

Introduction: Self-immolation is a deadly and painful issue that incurs high costs socially and individually. People who self-immolatearehardly cured and they will undergo serious mental and physical complications. This study aimed to determine the epidemiological distribution of self-immolated patients referring to Velayat Burn and Reconstructive Surgery Center in Rasht, Iran. Methods: This study was conducted based on a descriptive and cross-sectional design in Velayat Hospital in Rasht, Guilan province. The sample included all cases of self-immolation referring to Velayat Hospital from the beginning of April ۲۰۰۹ to the end of March ۲۰۱۷.The total number of self-immolated patients referred to hospital and registered was ۹۶ individuals. Data were extracted from patients’ records using a researcher-made checklist. Descriptive statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, and analytical tests such as Poisson and multivariate logistic regression have been used for data analysis. Data were completely analyzed using STATA-SE software (version ۱۳.۱). Results: According to the results, ۵۱% of the patients were female, and ۶۷% of the cases were married; moreover, ۴۳% of the females were housewives, and ۴۲ % of the patients had a history of mental illness. It is worth mentioning that۹۱% of the cases had no history of self-immolation. The most common reasons for self-immolation has been mental disorders (۳۸.۵%) and family problems (۳۷.۵%). The frequency of the rate of self-immolation has been almost equal in urban and rural areas, whereas the majority of the cases were observed in Rasht, Talesh, and Lahijan. In total, ۶۰% of the patients died. The mean±SD age, total body surface area (TBSA), and hospitalization period were ۳۷.۵±۱.۵ years, ۶۱.۳±۲.۸, and ۹.۳±۸ days, respectively. Analysis of regressions shows that the mortality rate has a direct and significant relationship with age and TBSA. Moreover, hospitalization time has a direct relationship with gender (i.e., male), TBSA, history of mental disease, previous records of suicide, and marital status (i.e., being married). However, it has a negative relationship with age and education. Conclusions: The level of burns is high in patients who are self-immolating, and mental disorders and familial problems have been the main reason for it. Therefore, although the frequency of self-immolation rate is lower, compared to other suicide methods, thesesmall groups of patients need special care due to the high rate of mortality.