Co-morbid General Medical Conditions among Patients with Deliberate Self Harm - A Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Rangpur, Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: Deliberate self-harm describes an act of non-fatal, self-destructive behavior that occurs when an individual's sense of desperation weighs their inherent self-preservation instinct. The subsequent risk of suicide, which is at least 3 percent after 10 or more years, serves as an example of the significance of this activity. Deliberate self-harm is a complicated pattern of maladaptive behavior in reaction to acute and chronic stress. It is likely accompanied by co-morbid general medical diseases, mental health issues, and several non-suicidal aims. The purpose of this study was to examine the co-occurring general medical disorders among patients who intentionally self-harmed. Methods: At the Department of Medicine, emergency & OPD, Rangpur Medical College, Rangpur, Bangladesh, this descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out. The study lasted for a full year, from July 2010 to June 2011. According to the inclusion criteria, 116 cases of intentional self-harm were included in the study. In this study, a convenience sampling strategy was used. Data were gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire that included all pertinent information about intentional self-harm, psychiatric disorders, and co-occurring general medical illnesses. Result: Out of 116 deliberate self-harm cases 90 (77.586%) were suffering from a psychiatric disorder. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders is very high (77.586%) among patients with deliberate self-harm.15 patients suffered from comorbid general medical conditions, among them 03(20%)were suffering from Buerger’s disease, 03(20%)were suffering from Peptic ulcer disease,02(13.333%) were suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis, 02(13.333%) were suffering from Migraine, 02(13.333%) were suffering from Pelvic inflammatory disease,01(06.667%) were suffering from infertility, 01(06.667%) were suffering from epilepsy, 01(06.667%) was suffering from tuberculosis.Conclusion:Out of 116 responders 15(12.931%) were suffering from co-morbid general medical conditions and 11(9.483%) were suffering from both psychiatric & Comorbid general medical conditions. The conclusion that "Depressive illness is more common than co-morbid general medical condition among the individuals with willful self-harm" is supported and accepted by these findings.