1. Frequency and Clinical Features of Patients who Attempted Suicide by Hara-Kiri in Japan.
- Author
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Kato, Koji, Kimoto, Keitaro, Kimoto, Kousuke, Takahashi, Yuki, Sato, Reiko, and Matsumoto, Hideo
- Subjects
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SUICIDAL behavior , *MENTAL depression , *INTENSIVE care units , *AFFECTIVE disorders , *SEPPUKU , *JAPANESE people , *DIAGNOSIS , *PATIENTS , *MENTAL health - Abstract
Hara-kiri is a unique Japanese custom, primarily stemming from the manners and customs that a samurai held. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical features of individuals who attempted suicide by hara-kiri. We enrolled 647 patients who had attempted suicide. Clinical features were compared between those who had employed hara-kiri and those who had used other methods. 25 of the 647 subjects had attempted suicide by hara-kiri. The ratio of men to women and the proportion of patients with mood disorders were significantly higher in the hara-kiri group than in the other methods group. The average length of stay in either the hospital or in the intensive care unit was also longer in the hara-kiri group than in the other methods group. Hara-kiri is an original Japanese method of attempting suicide, and suicide attempts by hara-kiri may be aimed at maintaining a reputation or taking responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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