Survival probability in self immolation attempters: a prospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND Self-immolation is one of the most violent methods of suicide in developing countries. The objective of the present study was to investigate the survival rate and factors affecting survival of self-immolation patients. METHODS All people either died or hospitalized for intentional burns were assessed in Kermanshah province between 2010 and 2013. Required information was gathered from two sources, Kermanshah province legal medicine and burn center of Imam Khomeini Hospital. Survival function was assessed through Cox regression. The data were analyzed with Stata 12 software. RESULTS Between 2010 and 2013 (three years), 446 people attempted self-immolation, of which 370 were females (83%). In general, 276 people (61.8%) died due to severity of the burns. The median of survival time was 47±5 days. The survival rate after one day, one week, and 21 days after accident was 86%, 52%, and 38%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that burn was the most powerful risk factor, sothe risk in those with over 70% burns is 17 times more than those with burns less than 30%. CONCLUSION Burn percentage is the strongest risk factor, those with high burns percentage should be hospitalized quickly and without waste of time.