Self-inflicted Violence among Adolescents and Young Adults in the Agreste Region of Alagoas, Brazil: An Epidemiological Profile and Sociological Analysis of Notifications (2020–2024)

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile of self-inflicted violence notifications among adolescents and young adults treated at Dr. Daniel Houly Emergency Hospital, in Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil, between 2020 and 2024, relating the findings to Émile Durkheim’s sociological interpretation. Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional quantitative study based on aggregated secondary data from the Violence and Accident Surveillance System/Notifiable Health Conditions Information System (VIVA/Sinan), made available through DATASUS. The study included 1,981 notifications involving individuals aged 15 to 29 years. Data were analyzed according to sex, age group, race/skin color, marital status, schooling, municipality of origin, place of occurrence, means of aggression, and recurrence, using absolute and relative frequencies. Results: The series showed an overall increase in notifications, from 348 cases in 2020 to 440 in 2024, despite a decline in 2023. Females accounted for 74.7% of the records, while young adults aged 20 to 29 years represented 58.8%. The parda category, corresponding to brown or mixed-race individuals, predominated, accounting for 79.1% of the reported records. Arapiraca accounted for 53.3% of the municipalities of origin. The home was the most frequent place of occurrence, and poisoning was the predominant means of aggression. In terms of schooling, incomplete upper secondary education and incomplete elementary education were the most frequent categories. Recurrence was recorded in 15.9% of cases, with a high proportion of blank or unknown fields. Conclusion: In the area studied, self-inflicted violence was concentrated among females and young adults and occurred within a context marked by social vulnerability, institutional weaknesses, and limitations in post-crisis follow-up. Durkheim’s concept of anomie contributes to understanding the relationship between weakened social bonds, social dysregulation, and suffering, but does not replace clinical and psychosocial approaches. Strengthening the Psychosocial Care Network, intersectoral coordination, and the quality of notifications is essential to reduce recurrence and prevent avoidable deaths.