Suicide--a retrospective study in a culturally distinct community in India

Occurrence and features of 130 suicide cases were studied in a culturally distinct community, Goa (India), which was isolated from mainland for over 450 years records obtained from the police and information collected from close relatives of the deceased were analyzed retrospectively. It was noted that cultural and religious factors continue to play an important role in suicidal behaviour in India. The rate was higher for males as compared with females and was greater in joint family than in nuclear family. Similarly, married persons of both sexes had a higher frequency. Ethnically the rate among Hindus was higher than among Christians. Mental illness constituted a major cause of suicide, followed by domestic conflicts. An interesting feature observed in the study was that more persons commit suicide in their own birth place and near their own homes.