Abstract

Objectives: This study was designed to examine the demographic features, correlates, motives and the status of the people who commit self-burning behavior.

Method: In a descriptive study, 318 self-burning  cases admitted within a period of three years to the only burn center in the province of Mazandaran were studied through a demographic questionnaire and a semi- structured interview.

Findings: The average age of subjects was 27 and  83% of them were females. Most of the subjects were married housewives with an education at the high school level. 62% of the subjects had engaged in self- burning behavior impulsively. The major reasons for self- burning were assessed to be family feuds and marital discords.The occurrence of self-burning was mostly common in  the day time hours and in spring season the resulting mortality rate was 79%. In the follow-up survey, a male subject  was  reported to have died of self-hanging suicide 6 years later. An 8-10 year follow up showed no repetition of self-burning amongst the subjects in the study.

Results: The demographic features and motivation indicators of the subjects suggest different preventive measures in various situations.