Suicide and Parasuicide in Childhood and Early Adolescence

1985 ◽  
Vol 146 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald J. Brooksbank
Keyword(s):  
Early Adolescence ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Age Range

Suicide is intentional self-killing, and parasuicide an act of deliberate self-harm—either by injury, ingestion or inhalation—not resulting in death (Blacket al,1982). Both are rare under the age of 12 and the rate of suicide in those under 16 remains consistently low. Referrals to psychiatric services reported by Shaffer (1974) indicated that 7–10% were for threatened or attempted suicide, while Hawton (1982) quoted studies giving the incidence as 10–33% for children aged six to 12; in England and Wales (1962–1968), suicide accounted for 0.6% of deaths in the 10–14 age-range. McClure (1984) found that between 1975 and 1980, only ten such deaths were recorded in the 13-and-under range, and 26 deaths in the 14 year-olds, after which the number of suicides rose sharply with each successive year. That study also showed that parasuicide was most common in the 15–24 age-group, but at younger ages there was a higher proportion of undetermined deaths, as against officially recorded suicides. The social taboos associated with suicide may lead to its systematic under-reporting, but even allowing for that, the phenomenon is still a rare one under the age of 16.

Trends in deliberate self-harm in Oxford, 1985–1995

1997 ◽  
Vol 171 (6) ◽  
pp. 556-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Hawton ◽  
Joan Fagg ◽  
Sue Simkin ◽  
Elizabeth Bale ◽  
Alison Bond
Keyword(s):  
Recent Progress ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Major Health Problem ◽  
Major Health ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Uk

BackgroundDeliberate self-harm (DSH) has been a major health problem in the UK for nearly three decades. Any changes in rates of DSH or the demographic characteristics of the patient population are likely to have important implications for clinical services and suicide prevention.MethodData collected by the Oxford Monitoring System for Attempted Suicide were used to review trends in DSH between 1985–1995ResultsThere was a substantial increase in DSH rates during the 11-year study period, with a 62.1% increase in males and a 42.2% increase in females. The largest rise was in 15–24-year-old males (+194.1%). Changes in DSH rates correlated with changes in national suicide rates in both males and females in this age group. Rates of repetition of DSH increased in both genders during the study period. Paracetamol self-poisoning has continued to increase, half of all overdoses in 1995 involving paracetamol, and antidepressant overdoses have become more common.ConclusionsThe increase in DSH, especially in young males, has important implications for general hospital DSH and medical services. It may herald a reversal of recent progress towards achievement of national suicide targets.

Management in hospital after attempted suicide

1979 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 78-80
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Hospital Doctor ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Self Harm

The patient who is in hospital after an episode of deliberate self-harm is at risk both of non-fatal repetition (20% in the following year) and of successful suicide later (1–2% in the next year).8 9 Most patients admitted to hospital after self-poisoning are under 25, living unharmoniously with others and nearly all show personality difficulties rather than mental illness.10 11 This article attempts to guide the hospital doctor in the assessment and treatment of such patients.

Secondary Prevention of Non-fatal Deliberate Self-harm

1993 ◽  
Vol 163 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Morgan ◽  
E. M. Jones ◽  
J. H. Owen
Keyword(s):  
British Journal ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
One Year ◽  
First Time ◽  
Experimental Group

In an attempt to address the low compliance with offers of treatment shown by patients after episodes of non-fatal deliberate self-harm (DSH), patients who had harmed themselves for the first time were offered rapid, easy access to on-call trainee psychiatrists in the event of further difficulties, and they were encouraged to seek help at an early stage should such problems arise. The follow-up data obtained after one year showed a significant reduction of actual or seriously threatened DSH in the experimental group, who also made considerably less demands on medical and psychiatric services, when compared with controls.British Journal of Psychiatry (1993), 163, 111–112

Attempted suicide in west London, II. Inter-group comparisons

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 1131-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. BHUGRA ◽  
D. S. BALDWIN ◽  
M. DESAI ◽  
K. S. JACOB
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Asian Women ◽  
Culture Conflict ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
History Of ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Group Comparisons

Background. Previous studies of attempted suicide have suggested that cultural and social factors play a significant role in the causation of deliberate self-harm.Method. In order to measure elements of culture conflict two inter-group comparisons were undertaken. In the first, 27 Asian women who had presented to hospital services following attempted suicide (Asian group) were matched with a group of similar age Asian women attending GP surgeries for other reasons (Asian GP attenders group). The second comparison was between the Asian and 46 White attempters.Results. On comparing Asian attempters with Asian GP attenders group the former were more likely to have a history of previous suicidal behaviour, to have a psychiatric diagnosis, and be unemployed. Their parents were more likely to have arrived in the United Kingdom at an older age. In addition, those who attempted suicide were more likely to have been in an inter-racial relationship and to have changed religions. In the second inter-group comparison, the characteristics of Asian and White suicide attempt patients were examined. White attempters were more likely to have mental illness, and were more likely to use alcohol as part of the method of attempted suicide. By contrast, Asian attempters had experienced life events pertaining to relationships, took fewer tablets and yet expressed greater regret at not succeeding in the attempt.Conclusions. Although numbers are small, social stress and other cultural factors play an important role in the act of deliberate self-harm.

scholarly journals An Exploration of Differences Between Deliberate Self-Harm with and without Suicidal Intent Amongst a Clinical Sample of Young People in Singapore: A Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 1429
Author(s):  
Ellaisha Samari ◽  
Shazana Shahwan ◽  
Edimansyah Abdin ◽  
YunJue Zhang ◽  
Rajeswari Sambasivam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Young People ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Suicidal Intent ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
People With Mental Illness ◽  
Self Harm

This study examined differences between young people with mental illness who engage in deliberate self-harm with and without suicidal intent, as well as socio-demographic and clinical factors that are related to the increased likelihood of suicide attempt amongst self-harming young people. A total of 235 outpatients with mental illness who had engaged in deliberate self-harm were recruited from a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Singapore. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire which collected information on their socio-demographic background, self-harm history, diagnosis, depressive symptoms and childhood trauma. A total of 31.1% had reported a history of attempted suicide. Multiple logistic regression conducted found that engaging in self-harm ideation between 1 and 7 days (OR = 4.3, p = 0.30), and more than 1 week (OR = 10.5, p < 0.001) (versus no engagement in any self-harm ideation at all), were significantly associated with greater likelihood of attempted suicide. This study reports a relatively high prevalence rate of reported suicide attempts amongst young people with mental illness who engaged in self-harm. Identifying self-harm behaviors and treating it early could be the first step in managing potential suicidal behaviors among those who engage in self-harm.

scholarly journals Does Lent affect rates of deliberate self-harm?

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
N. Moloney ◽  
K. Glynn ◽  
E. Harding ◽  
V. Murphy ◽  
G. Gulati
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Religious Affiliation ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Chi Squared ◽  
Ethical Approval ◽  
Self Harm

Background Research has shown that religious affiliation has a protective effect against deliberate self-harm. This is particularly pronounced in periods of increased religious significance, such as periods of worship, celebration, and fasting. However, no data exist as to whether this effect is present during the Christian period of Lent. Our hypothesis was that Lent would lead to decreased presentations of self-harm emergency department (ED) in a predominantly Catholic area of Ireland. Methods Following ethical approval, we retrospectively analysed data on presentations to the ED of University Hospital Limerick during the period of Lent and the 40 days immediately preceding it. Frequency data were compared using Pearson’s chi-squared tests in SPSS. Results There was no significant difference in the overall number of people presenting to the ED with self-harm during Lent compared to the 40 days preceding it (χ2 = 0.75, df = 1, p > 0.05), and there was no difference in methods of self-harm used. However, there was a significant increase in attendances with self-harm during Lent in the over 50’s age group (χ2 = 7.76, df = 1, p = 0.005). Conclusions Based on our study, Lent is not a protective factor for deliberate self-harm and was associated with increased presentations in the over 50’s age group. Further large-scale studies are warranted to investigate this finding as it has implications for prevention and management of deliberate self-harm.

scholarly journals Effect of death of Diana, Princess of Wales on suicide and deliberate self-harm

2000 ◽  
Vol 177 (5) ◽  
pp. 463-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Hawton ◽  
Louise Harriss ◽  
Louis Appleby ◽  
Edmund Juszczak ◽  
Sue Simkin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Hospital ◽  
Suicidal Behaviour ◽  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Public Figure ◽  
Deliberate Self Harm ◽  
England And Wales ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThe death of the Princess of Wales in 1997 was followed by widespread public mourning. Such major events may influence suicidal behaviour.AimsTo assess the impact of the Princess's death on suicide and deliberate self-harm (DSH).MethodAnalysis, using Poisson regression, of the number of suicides and open verdicts (suicides’) in England and Wales following the Princess's death compared to the 3 months beforehand, and the equivalent periods in 1992–1996. Similar analysis on DSH presentations to a general hospital.ResultsSuicides increased during the month following the Princess's funeral (+ 17.4%). This was particularly marked in females (+33.7%), especially those aged 25–44 years (+45.1%). Suicides did not fall in the week between the death and the funeral. Presentations for DSH increased significantly during the week following the death (+44.3%), especially in females (+65.1%). Examination of case notes suggested that the influence of the death was largely through amplification of personal losses or exacerbation of existing distress.ConclusionsThe death of a major public figure can influence rates of suicidal behaviour. For DSH, the impact may be immediate, but for suicide it may be delayed.

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