Profiles and treatment of attempted suicide by self-immolation

Self-immolation represented 3.9% of patients (N = 7) at this burn unit over the last 18 months. Charts of these patients were retrospectively reviewed for demographics, hospital course, and discharge plan. All had a major psychiatric diagnosis, although no clear patient profile emerged. These patients required complex individualized care, but the psychosocial treatment challenges had many common elements. Psychiatric aspects of these patients proved problematic for the burn unit staff. Physical sequelae of the burns raised problems in arranging subsequent psychiatric treatment. Follow-up information was obtained by brief telephone interviews. The survivors appeared to be functioning well given their psychopathology and physical sequelae.