Global Distribution of Fatal Pesticide Self-Poisoning
Author Information
Author(s): Gunnell David, Eddleston Michael, Phillips Michael R, Konradsen Flemming
Primary Institution: Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol
Hypothesis
What is the global distribution and magnitude of fatal pesticide self-poisoning?
Conclusion
Pesticide self-poisoning accounts for about one-third of the world's suicides.
Supporting Evidence
- 258,234 deaths from pesticide self-poisoning worldwide each year.
- 30% of all suicides globally are due to pesticide self-poisoning.
- Proportion of suicides using pesticides varies from 4% in Europe to over 50% in the Western Pacific.
Takeaway
Many people around the world die from taking pesticides to harm themselves, and we can help prevent these deaths by making pesticides harder to get and improving medical care.
Methodology
A systematic review of literature from Medline, EMBASE, and psycINFO to estimate pesticide suicides in WHO regions.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of pesticide suicides due to unreliable data from countries like India.
Limitations
The study relies on the quality of national suicide data, which is often poor, especially in developing countries.
Participant Demographics
Data primarily from countries in six WHO regions, with a focus on rural populations.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
233,997 to 325,907
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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