High-Risk Groups for Charcoal-Burning Suicide Attempt in Hong Kong, China, 2004

Letter to the Editor

Sir: In their letter "High-Risk Groups for Charcoal-Burning
Suicide in Taiwan, 2001-2005," Lin and Lu1 reported their finding
that men aged 25 to 44 years who live in urban areas are
the most likely individuals to use charcoal burning to die by
suicide. The finding is consistent with our research, reported
below, comparing the characteristics of people with suicide attempts
by charcoal burning and by drug overdose in Hong
Kong, China.

Method. Data on all people admitted to 2 hospitals of the
New Territories East Cluster (Hong Kong, China) in 2004 because
of charcoal-burning suicide attempt or drug overdose suicide
attempt were collected from the records of a psychiatric
consultation liaison team.