Suicide Attempts in Malaysia from the Year 1969 to 2011

Table 1

Studies of attempted suicide in Malaysia.

Study	Methodology	Sample	Gender (𝑁)	Age	Marital status	Ethnicity (%)	Education level	Employment	Psychiatric diagnosis	Method for suicidal behavior	Reasons
(1) Amarasingham and Lee (1969) [19]	Department of chemistry	666	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	Arsenic (308); Formic acid (232); Caustic alkali (232); Organophosphorus; insecticides (207); Chlorinated insecticides (115); Barbiturates (99); Sulphuric acid (61); Nonbarbiturate hypnotics (38); Ammonia (32); Acetyl salicylic acid (23); Methyl salicylate (21); Opium alkaloids (18); Hydrochloric acid (10)	NG
(2) Simons and Sarbadhikary (1972) [24]	Medical records	94	F (62); M (38)	NG	SL (58); MR (33); W/D/SP (10); PL (3)	CN (49); IN (22); ML (13); OT (10)	P (19); S (49); T (5); V (10); NK (11)	NG	Schizophrenia (37); Neurosis (30); Behavior disorder (15); Major effective illness (11); Mental retardation (1)	NG	NG
(3) Amarasingham and Hee (1976) [20]	Department of chemistry	620	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
(4) Murugesan and Hock (1978) [44]	Hospital admission	94	F (24); M (70)	10–14 (5); 15–24 (62); 25–34 (18); 35–44 (7); 45–54 (1); 55> (1)	SL (54); MR (36); W/SP (3)	IN (62); CH (19); ML (11); OT (2)	P (39); S (40); T (2)	E (44); U (40)	Psychosis (6); Neurosis (20); Personality disorder (20); Alcohol addiction (6)	Insecticide (27); Psychotropics (23); Detergent (14); Iiniment (11); Others (20)	Domestic conflicts (31); Love affairs (29); Alcohol addiction (6); Illness (5); Work (4); Others (6)
(5) Haq and Buhrich (1980) [25]	Hospital admission	140	F (104); M (36)	15–20 (48); 22–31 (54)	SL (78); MR (54)	CH (59); IN (42); ML (39)	NG	NG	NG	Poisons (48); Drugs (73); Cutting, stabbing, hanging, and jumping (19)	Jilted (41); Marital problems (35); Family problems (23); Psychotic (13); Others (28)
(6) Yeoh (1981) [26]	Hospital admission	74	F (48); M (26)	10–15 (2); 16–25 (38); 26–35 (15); 36–45 (10); 46–55 (3); 55> (8)	SL (38); MR (31); SP/W (5)	CH (47); IN (20); ML (7)	NG	E (32); U (16); HW (19); ST (7)	Depressive neurosis (10); Other neuroses (1); Psychoses (12); Personality disorder (1); Organic psychosis (1); Drug addiction (5); Situational stress reaction (44)	Psychotropics (19); Insecticides (12); Liniment (5); Detergent (4); Analgesics (4); Narcotics (1); Knife wounds (11); Hanging (7); Jumping (6); Other drugs (2); Other objects (3)	Conflicts with elders (19); Health reasons (16); Marital conflict (12); Love disappointments (10); Financial problems,; unemployment (2); Drug addiction (2); Others (10)
**(7) Orr and Tin (1985 a & b) [7, 8]	Hospital admission	271	F (211); M (60)	10–19 (54); 20–29 (149); 30–39 (42); 40–49 (15); 50–59 (7); 60–69 (4)	SL (135); MR (123); SP/D/W (13)	IN (149); CH (87); ML (35)	P (102); S (127); T (4); NN (30)	E (154); U (98); ST (17); PS (2)	NG	Tranquilizers and sedatives; (84); Other oral medicines (34); Nonoral medicines (37); Harmful household; compounds (54); Insecticides and weed killers; (42); Physical injury (20); Unknown (19)	Marital problems (75); Family problems (64); Relationships problems (41); Medical illness (25); Psychiatric illness (23); Accidental (20); Other (23)
(8) Maniam (1988) [27]	Hospital records	134	F (81); M (53)	NG	NG	IN (182); CH (41); ML (6)	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
(9) Ong amd Leng (1992) [21]	Hospital admission	273	NG	NA	NA	IN (130); CH (113); ML (21); OT (9)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
(10) Habil et al. (1992) [28]	Hospital admission	296	F (197); M (99)	0–19 (52); 20–39 (197); 40–59 (37); 60> (10)	SL (145); MR (134); SP/D/W (17)	IN (142); CH (120); ML (30); OT (4)	NG	NG	Adjustment disorder (176); Alcohol and drug dependence (38); Schizophrenia (30); Affective disorders and grief (25); Physical disorders and complaints; (18); Personality disorders (8); Obsessive compulsive disorder (1)	Psychotropic (52); Analgesics (34); Other drugs (24); Detergent (35); Insecticide & pesticide; (28); Agrochemicals (22); Other chemicals (7); Multiple drugs and; chemical (49); Cutting and stabbing (18); Hanging (11); Ingestion of foreign objects like stones and blades (2); Burns (2); Combinations of physical; and self-poisoning (12)	Depression form psychosocial; stressors (175); Underlying schizophrenia (30)
(11) Azhar and Varma (1992) [23]	Hospital admission	3	M (3)	18 (1); 20 (1)	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
**(12) Maniam (1994 a & b) [9, 10]	Hospital records	151	NG	NA	NA	IN (116); CH (29); ML (6)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
(13) Hussain and Hyman (1994) [29]	Hospital admission	195	F (142); M (53)	NA	NA	IN (93); CH (76); ML (23); OT (3)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
(14) Habil (1995) [30]	Hospital admission	99	F (72); M (17)	NA	NA	IN (54); CH (17); ML (13); OT (5)	NG	NA	NA	NA	NA
*(15) Nizam (1995) [13]	Hospital admission	78	F (59); M (19)	15–19 (23); 20–24 (23); 25–29 (12); 30–34 (10); 35–39 (4); 40–44 (4); 55–59 (1); 65–69 (1)	SL (55 ); MR (21); D/SP (1); W (1)	IN (46); CH (18); ML (12); OT (2)	T (2); S (72); P (1); NN (3)	NG	Psychoactive substance use; disorder (1); Schizophrenia (1); Mood disorder (24); Impulse control disorder (1); Adjustment disorder with; depressed mood (48)	Medicine (44); Chemicals (32); Injury (2)	Relief discomfort (16); Psychotic (1); Others (61)
(16) Maniam (1996) [12]	Hospital	1	F (1)	35	M (1)	NG	NG	E (1)	Depression (1)	Contracting AIDS	Depressed
(17) Hussain and Zafri (1997) [31]	Hospital admission	146	F (115); M (31)	21< (5); 22–30 (46); 31–40 (55); 41–50 (24); 51> (16)	M (146)	IN (68); CH (54); ML (23); OT (1)	NG	NG	Adjustment disorder (98); Major affective disorder (26); Alcohol-dependent syndrome (12); Schizophrenia (8); Premenstrual tension (2)	Overdose (74); Poisons ingestion (44); Physical harm (25); Multiple methods (3)	Extra marital affairs (42); Underlying psychiatry; conditions (39); Problems due to other family; members (22); Financial problems (16); Physical illnesses (11); Spouse abuse (16)
*(18) Peng and Chia (1997) [14]	Hospital admission	124	F (94); M (30)	11–15 (3); 16–20 (39); 21–25 (28); 26–30 (26); 31–35 (16); 36–40 (7); 41–45 (1); 46–50 (1); 51–55 (2); <55 (1)	MR (49); SL (64); D (8); C (3)	IN (64); CH (35); ML (21); OT (4)	P (30); S (85); T (8); NN (1)	E (82); U (33); ST (9)	Substance use disorder (5); Schizophrenia (7); Major depression (7); Affective disorder (2); Dysthymic disorder (23); Anxiety disorders (3); Adjustment disorders (3)	Poisoning (114); Injury (8); Both (2)	Claimed accidental (5); Relief of pain or discomfort (9); Intent self-harm (105); Psychotic (5)
(19) Zuraida (2000) [32]	Hospital admission	60	F (52); M (8)	NG	MR (26); SL (34)	IN (29); CH (19); ML (12)	P (1); S (43); T (6)	E (33); U/ST (13); HW (14)	Adjustment disorder with; depressed mood (38); Acute stress reaction (11); Major depression (10); Schizophrenia (1)	NG	NG
(20) Siow (2001) [33]	Hospital records	16	F (11); M (5)	60–69 (10); 70–79 (6)	MR (6); SP (3); W (7)	CH (10); IN (5); OT (1)	P (6); S (4); NN (6)	NG	Major depression (13); Adjustment disorder with; depressed mood (2); Chronic schizophrenia (1)	Drug overdose (5); Poison (5); Throat slashing (2); Cut wrists (2); Hanging (1); Jumping (1)	Quarrel with families (6); Ill health (5); Depressed (5)
*(21) Koh et al. (2002) [15]	Hospital admission	40	NG	NG	NG	ML (16); CH (14); IN (8); OT (2)	NG	NG	NG	Self-poisoning (92); Wrist-slashing and; jumping from height (10)	NG
(22) Ab Rahman (2002) [22]	Medical records	51	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
(23) Kok et al. (2003) [34]	Hospital admission	330	F (219); M (111)	15< (26); 16–20 (105); 21–30 (110); 31–40 (57); 41–50 (19); 51> (13)	NG	CH (139); ML (109); IB (36); BD (26); OT (20)	NG	NG	Depressive features (47); Schizophrenia (11)	NG	NG
(24) Salleh et al. (2005) [35]	Hospital admission	50	F (40); M (10)	16–25 (30); <30 (34)	SL (27); MR (17); D (5); W (5)	IN (40); CH (16); ML (12); OT (2)	NG	E (20); U (30)	Dysthymia (4); Major depression (15); Adjustment disorder (30)	NG	NG
(25) Fathel et al. (2005) [36]	Hospital record	249	F (177); M (72)	NG	NG	CH (118); ML (43); IN (78)	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
(26) Sorketti and Zuraida (2007) [37]	Hospital admission	77	F (57); M (20)	NG	MR (49); SL (20)	CH (37); IN (29); ML (11)	NG	E (36); U (36)	Adjustment disorder (38); Major depression (24); Other diagnoses (15)	Self -poisoners (52); Self-cutters (25)	Relationship problems (54); Employment problems (12); Health-related problems (11)
(27) Rajasuriar et al. (2007) [11]	Hospital records	448; 5	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
(28) Fathelrahman et al. (2008) [38]	Hospital admission	320	F (225); M (95)	>45 (295)	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG
*(29) Ainsah et al. (2008) [16]	Hospital admission	86	F (86)	18–23 (50); 24–29 (23); 30–35 (3); 36–44 (7); 45 (3)	MR (34); SL (52)	ML (36); IN (32); OT (18)	NN/P (19); S (46); T (21)	E (67); U (19)	Major depression (20); Dysthymia (7); Panic disorder (3); Agoraphobia (1); Comorbid diagnoses (4); Alcohol abuser (1); Substance abuser (1); Bulimia nervosa (2); Generalized anxiety disorder (1)	Self-poisoning (78); Self-injury (6); Both (2)	NG
(30) Hamidin and Maniam (2008) [39]	Hospital admission	50	F (39); M (11)	NG	MR (15); SL (35)	IN (26); ML (20); CH (4)	S (33)	NG	Major depressive disorder (11); Dysthymia (1); Alcohol abuse (2); Generalized anxiety disorder (1); Comorbidity (5)	Self-poisoning (48); Self-injury (2)	NG
(31) Teo et al. (2008) [40]	Hospital records	189	F (137); M (52)	<20 (68); 21–30 (69); 31–40 (35); 41–50 (9); 51–60 (5); >60 (3)	NG	IN (122); CH (35); ML (25); FR (7)	NG	NG	NG	Drugs (83); Household products (22); Pesticide (55); Carbon monoxides (4); Drowning (4); Hanging (23); Injuries by sharp objects; (2); Others (39)	Problems; Relationship (108); Health (18); Financial (6); At work (2); At school/exams (1); Not recorded (54)
*(32) Maisarah (2008) [17]	Hospital admission	80	F (80)	≤20 (25); >20 (55)	SL (64); MR (16)	ML (36); IN (35); CH (9)	P (6); S (47); V (7); T (20)	E (64); U (16)	NG	Drugs overdose (48); Insecticide & pesticide; (16); Household products (13); Wrist cutting (3)	NG
*(33) Kannan et al. (2010) [18]	Hospital admission	42	F (39); M (3)	NG	SL (24); MR (13); D (3); SP (1)	KD (12); ML (4); CH (3); BJ (15); SB (5); IND (3)	NG	E (33); U (9)	NG	NG	NG
(34) Zyoud et al. (2010) [41]	Hospital records	177	F (149); M (28)	<20 (66); 20–30 (88); >30 (23)	SL (140); MR (34); D (3)	ML (89); IN (43); CH (40); OT (5)	NG	E (91); U (86)	NG	NG	NG
(35) Zyoud et al. (2010) [42]	Hospital records	280	F (235); M (45)	NG	NG	NG	NG	NG	Major depression (30); Adjustment disorder (128); Anxiety disorder (10)	NG	NG
(36) Hamidin and Maniam (2011) [43]	Hospital admission	50	F (39); M (11)	NG	MR (15); SL (35)	IN (26); ML (20); CH (4)	S (33)	NG	Major depressive disorder (11); Dysthymia (1); Alcohol abuse (2); Generalized anxiety disorder (1); Comorbidity (5)	Self-poisoning (48); Self-injury (2)	Personal illness issues (1); Family illness (11); Interpersonal issues (47); Work issues (12); Financial (14); Others (8)

∗Used recognized psychological instrument to measure suicide attempt.
**Used same subjects in two published articles. Therefore, reported as a single study in this paper but listed as 2 different studies in numbering of references.
Notes: 𝑁: number; SP: separated; CN: Chinese; KD: Kadazan; U: unemployed; P: primary; NA: not available; PL: polygamy; IN: Indian; BJ: Bajau; HW: housewife; S: secondary; NN: none; SL: single; ML: Malay; IB: Iban; ST: students; T: tertiary; NG: not given; MR: married; SB: Sabahan; BD: Bidayuh; OT: others; V: vocational; NK: not known; W: widow; IND: Indonesian; F: female; E: employed; IE: informal education; C: cohabit; FR: foreigner; M: male; D: divorce.