A comparison between male and female parasuicides in Hong Kong

The epidemiological, social and clinical characteristics of 259 male and 475 female parasuicides in Hong Kong were compared. The majority are young adults, with an overall female: male ratio of 1.83. Compared to male subjects, females are more likely to be married or cohabiting, of higher social-economic status, born in places in the Far East apart from Mainland China, and of lower educational level. Their parasuicidal acts are more often motivated by interpersonal difficulties, especially with spouses or friends of the opposite sex, and take the form of self-poisoning. Male subjects on the other hand are more often single, immigrants from Mainland China, and of lower socio-economic status. Their problems are more often personal, and they are more likely to employ physical methods in their parasuicidal acts. In both sexes, age specific parasuicidal rates showed a second peak in senescence. Both the overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the rate of repeated parasuicide 2 years following the index admissions were low. The implications of these findings are explored.