Characterization of Suicide, Suicidal Ideation, and Self-harm Attempts: A Pre-hospital Descriptive Study

Suicidal ideation encompasses a wide range of thoughts, wishes, and preoccupations related to death and suicide.Non-fatal self-injury without suicidal intent is categorized as deliberate self-harm, whereas self-injury with the intent to die, resulting in non-fatal injury, is defined as a suicide attempt.Self-harm that results in death is also classified as suicide (1,2).Although definitions are often confused, they signify important differences in outcomes.Every suicide is a tragedy with far-reaching impacts on families, communities, and nations, leaving lasting effects on those left behind.The World Health Organization (WHO) data on suicide epidemiology revealed that over 700,000 people die by suicide annually; in 1998, suicide accounted for 1.8% of the global disease burden, which is projected to rise to 2.4% by 2020.In 2019, suicide was ranked as the fourth leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds worldwide, with 77% of suicides occurring in low-and middle-income countries (3,4).Approximately 20%