Perfil sociodemográfico dos pacientes atendidos por comportamento suicida na emergência do Hospital Geral de Palmas/ Tocantins

Abstract

Introduction: Suicidal behavior covers a spectrum that ranges from ideation (thoughts of death or self-extermination), through planning, to suicide attempts that can culminate in fatal outcomes resulting in suicide. It is a complex phenomenon, influenced by multiple factors, such as demographics, psychiatric disorders, chronic clinical conditions, social isolation, a history of trauma, and an income of up to 2 minimum wages. Approximately 702,000 people die by suicide every year in the world - the equivalent of one death every 40 seconds. In the context of mental health, suicide is considered a serious public health problem, affecting not only those who suffer, but also families, communities and society in general. Objective: To analyze the sociodemographic profile of patients treated for suicidal behavior in the emergency department of the Palmas General Hospital (HGP), Tocantins, identifying the predominant characteristics and comparing them with the profiles described in studies carried out in other regions of Brazil. Methods: This is an exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative study of 62 patients seen in the emergency department of the Palmas General Hospital for suicidal behavior over a six-month period. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee under protocol number 7.046.541/2024. Quantitative data analysis was carried out using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. Results: The predominant profile of individuals with suicidal behavior in the study included females (71%), young adults (32.4 years), brown (59%), completed high school (37.1%), unemployed (32.3%), monthly income of up to two minimum wages (79%), living alone (93.5) and diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. Conclusion: The profile of this sample is similar to other regions of Brazil. It is important to carry out further studies to assess risk and protective factors in the population of the state of Tocantins.