Prevalence, Risk Factors and Correlates of Deliberate Self‐Harm Behaviors in Bangladesh: A Narrative Review of Cross‐Sectional Studies (1995–2025)
Mantaka Rahman, Sharmin Sultana Tuli, Imtiaz Abdullah, Tamal Saha, Mahmud Al Faissal, Emma AshworthABSTRACT
Background and Aims
Deliberate self‐harm (DSH) is a significant but underreported public health concern in Bangladesh, driven by mental health stigma, cultural and legal barriers, and absence of national data. Despite clear links to multiple risk factors, the prevalence and determinants of DSH lack systematic exploration. This narrative review synthesizes existing research articles and gray literature to summarize DSH behaviors, prevalence, risk factors, and key correlates within the Bangladeshi population.
Methods
PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycInfo, Google Scholar, and BanglaJOL were searched from their inception to identify research articles on risk factors and correlates of DSH behaviors. Studies assessing DSH behaviors and reporting associated risk factors in Bangladeshi populations were included for this review.
Results
12 cross‐sectional studies (1995–2025) with sample sizes between 51 and 383 were included. Nine studies were hospital based, while three were conducted in community settings among LGBT, homosexual male, and university students. Seven reported DSH behaviors in participants aged 14–65 years, and five assessed co‐occurring mental disorders. Reported lifetime DSH prevalence was 17% (95% CI: 12–22.5) among university students, 40.2% in homosexual men, and 56%–62% among homosexual women. The most common methods were self‐cutting (39%), medication overdose (38%), and hanging (31%). Overall, 71% had at least one psychiatric disorder. Half of those with planned DSH intended to die, while 12% sought escape. Depressive and anxiety disorders, familial history, medical comorbidities, personality disorder, relationship problems, and poor family interactions were significant risk factors. DSH was positively associated with suicidal attempts, with 34.2% of individuals with DSH reporting a lifetime suicide attempt.
Conclusion
The review outlined limited studies on DSH among the Bangladeshi population. This gap warrants further large‐scale studies to find the temporal relation between DSH and its correlates among the community population in Bangladesh.