sharpforce suicide in the north of tunisia:an 8 years studyand areview of the litterature

Abstract

Suicides have become a public health problem worldwide.
Victims commit suicide most often by hanging and firearms, sharp force suicides remain rare.
The objective of this study is to develop a profile of sharp force suicide victims in northern Tunisia and to
determine predictor’s signs of suicide among the forensic population.
This is a retrospective study over a period of 8 years (January 1st 2002 to December 31th 2011) on suicide by
stabbing autopsied in the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Charles Nicolle hospital in Tunis.
During the study period we counted 9 cases of sharp force suicide with a male (8 of 9 victims). The average
age is 41.6 years. 7 among the 9 victims had a known history of psychiatric illness. 5 of 9 victims have a history
of suicide attempts.
5 of the 9 suicides were committed in the victim’s home. Two victims left a suicide note explaining the reason
for his suicide.
The wounds are most frequently located in the neck or the front of the upper limbs. 4 of the 9 victims have
submitted hesitation wounds. No victim presented clothes lesions in front of skin wounds.