%0 Systematic Review
%T The epidemiology of self-immolation in Iraq: A systematic review.
%A Ahmed DR
%J Int J Soc Psychiatry
%V 69
%N 7
%D 2023 Nov 4
%M 37139597
%F 10.461
%R 10.1177/00207640231168787
%X <B>UNASSIGNED: </B>Self-immolation is one of the most brutal suicide methods and is a significant social and medical problem throughout the world. Self-immolation is more common in low-income countries than in high-income countries.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The aim is to evaluate the trends in self-immolation and examine its frequency in Iraq.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The PRISMA guideline was used to conduct this systematic review study. We searched for publications in English, Arabic and Kurdish in PubMed and Google Scholar. A total of 105 publications were identified through the search; however, 92 were eliminated due to duplication and irrelevant content. Finally, 13 full articles were included for data extraction. The inclusion criteria were articles that investigated self-immolation. However, letters to editors and media reports on self-immolation were excluded. The retrieved studies were selected, reviewed and then quality assessed.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>This study included 13 articles. According to the findings, self-immolation accounted for 26.38% of all burn admissions in the Iraqi provinces and the Kurdistan region, with 16.02% of those occurring in the middle and southern provinces of Iraq and 36.75% in the Kurdistan region. It is more common in women than in men, especially among young, married, illiterate, or poorly educated people. Sulaymaniyah had a higher percentage of self-immolation than other governorates in Iraq, accounting for 38.3% of burn admissions. Cultural and social norms, domestic violence, mental health problems, family conflicts and financial problems were identified as the most common causes of self-immolation.<BR><B>UNASSIGNED: </B>The prevalence of self-immolation is high among the Iraqi population, compared to other countries, particularly among the Kurdish population and in Sulaymaniyah. Self-immolation is relatively common among women. There are sociocultural factors that could contribute to this problem. Families must be restricted from having easy access to kerosene, and high-risk individuals should have access to psychological consultation to reduce the risk of self-immolation.