[Suicidal attempts without borders?]

A series of 450 subjects having committed suicidal attempts were examined at the Principal Hospital in Dakar, Senegal between January 1992 and June 1996. Study of the resulting data confirms previous findings indicating that suicidal attempts occur essentially in younger and younger women, rarely after the age of 40. In 42% of cases, the triggering factor involved familial problems, the leading motive being conjugopathy in 15% of cases. At the present time, 90% of people attempting suicide are interviewed by a hospital psychiatrist. In a systemic approach the family is involved as soon as possible. In most cases the acting out implicates a concept of social misconduct. It is linked to the notion of belonging and, while this problem constitutes of marker of social disarray, it is in this area that a transcultural point of view can lead to a more productive dialogue between societies where this warning signal is even stronger and more persistent.