A survey of characteristics of self-immolation in the east of Iran.

The aim of this study was investigating the characteristic and outcome of self-immolation cases admitted to the Burn Centre of Birjand, Iran over an eight year period. This study is a retrospective review of case notes for patients with self-Immolation and admitted to our referral burn centre in the last 8 years (January 2003-January 2011). A performa was designed to collect the data such as: demographic information, length of hospital stay, extent of the burn injuries as %TBSA (Total Body Surface Area) and final outcome. Data was analyzed by SPSS software. Between 2003 and 2011, 188 self-immolation cases admitted. The mean age was 26.97 ±12.6 years. Female to male ratio was 1.7:1. Housewives represented the largest group (43.1%) and kerosene was the most frequent agent used (74.6%). There was significant different between mortality and TBSA and low educational level (P=0.0001). There was a significant fluctuation time trend in the incidence (per 100,000 population) of self-immolation from 2003 (4.64, CI 95%: 4.62-4.65) to 2008 (5.2, CI 95%: 5.19-5.21). Mortality rate was 64%. The survival rates at three weeks survival for patients who self-immolated was 24 percent (CI 95%: 17-31). The mean and median survival times were 6 days (CI 95%: 4.8-7.2) and 17.5 days (CI 95%: 13.3-21.6), respectively. Our study has shown a lower incidence of self-immolation (5.3%) in the South Khorasan region, when compared with other parts of Iran, as well as a relatively low mortality rate. We have also reported self-immolation in pregnant women which has rarely been reported in medical literature.