Prevalence of deliberate self-harm in teenage Students in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico: 2003

The presence of deliberate self-harm (DSH) among adolescents in Guanajuato State in 2003 was identified by sex, age, educational attainment, and health jurisdiction and the characteristics were described by sex according to number of times, age of only/first/last DSH, motive, method, purpose, and death wish. The sample design was stratified, by stage and by conglomerates. A total of 2,530 students from high school affiliated to the University of Guanajuato participated. The results showed that 3.1% of males and 10.7% of females had engaged in at least 1 episode of DSH; age of first DSH was 13 in both males and females; and age at last DSH was 13 in males and 14 in females. The characteristics of the DSH were also described.