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OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to explore factors associated with hara-kiri as a method of suicide and suicidal behavior in contemporary Japan. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on medical records of 421 patients (174 male; 247 female) who were considered suicidal and treated at the Kitasato University Hospital Emergency Medical Center in Japan between January 2006 and March 2008. We compared hara-kiri and all other methods regarding sociodemographics and clinical features of all suicidal patients. RESULTS: Instances of hara-kiri suicide attempt had the highest proportion of males (63%) among all suicide and suicidal behavior. One-way analysis of variance revealed significant differences between hara-kiri and other suicide attempt methods in the age of the suicidal patients. Result of multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that those who attempted hara-kiri suicide were likely to be male, be diagnosed with schizophrenia, survive, and be married. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that hara-kiri as a method of suicide and suicidal behavior remains prevalent in Japan, and the study findings also suggest that both clinical and cultural factors might play a role in hara-kiri as a method of suicide and suicidal behavior.
Takai et al. (Wed,) studied this question.