Objectives: To follow-up individuals after the index attempt regarding repeated attempt, completed suicide, methods used and socio-demographic characteristics in rural area in Vietnam. Subjects and methods: All suicide attempt patients (104) during 2003 - 2007 were identified in a population. | JOURNAL OF MILITARY PHARMACO-MEDICINE N07-2016 SUICIDE ATTEMPT IN RURAL AREA OF VIETNAM: FOLLOW-UP WITH REGARD TO REPEATED ATTEMPT AND COMPLETED SUICIDE Nguyen Van Tuan*; Peter Allebeck** SUMMARY Objectives: To follow-up individuals after the index attempt regarding repeated attempt, completed suicide, methods used and socio-demographic characteristics in rural area in Vietnam. Subjects and methods: All suicide attempt patients (104) during 2003 - 2007 were identified in a population. They were diagnosed and re-evaluated by trained physicians according to the research criteria of the WHO Multicentre Study of Attempted Suicide. All people who had attempted suicide were followed for - years with regard to reattempted or completed suicide. Information was collected by interviews with those who had attempted suicide and family members of those who had committed suicide. Interviews were performed by trained medical staff to investigate socio-demographic characteristics and methods used for suicide attempt and completed suicide. Results: Of the 104 attempt suicide people, 13 people () repeated suicide attempt and six people () committed suicide during the follow-up period. Drugs were used in mainly reattempt cases (8 cases) and pesticides (5 cases) for repeated suicide attempt, and pesticides, hanging and drowning for completed suicide. All repeated attempt suicides were under 45 years old, whereas those who completed suicide had a more diverse age distribution. The proportion of unemployed and disabled people was higher than that at index attempt. of attempt suicide people received psychiatric care at the index attempt. Conclusion: The risk of reattempt and completed suicide is increased among patients who have attempted suicide. Drugs were used in many reattempt cases, whereas completed suicide mainly performed by pesticides or hanging. Mental health services should be strengthened to take care of and follow-up patients who have attempted .
