Deliberate Self-Harm/Poisoning, Suicide Trends. The Link to Increased Alcohol Consumption in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sri Lanka has witnessed a fall in suicide rates in the period 1991 to 2010, however the incidence of self-harm remains high. Over the same period alcohol consumption has increased for both alcohol that is purchased legally and distilled privately. This paper investigates a number of secondary data sets from such bodies as the Department of Police, Registrar General's Office for Statistics, Ministry of Health and Nutrition, National Poisons Information Center and Lanka Library Forum to shed light on the link between suicide/self-harm and rising alcohol consumption. The authors conclude that there is a strong association between alcohol consumption and suicide/poisoning/deliberate self-harm in Sri Lanka and propose a number of research priorities.

Keywords:

• alcohol
• poisoning
• self-harm
• Sri Lanka
• suicide

Notes

Note. n = number of Suicides; r = Suicide rate per 100,000. Data collected from Sri Lanka Police Service, Division of Statistics, and Colombo, Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka's Sumitrayo (Samaritans UK), and Colombo, Sri Lanka.