Citation

Leon SL, Cloutier P, BéLair MA, Cappelli M. Healthc. Policy 2014; 10(1): 97-107.

Vernacular Title

Couverture médiatique du suicide chez les jeunes et répercussions sur les visites aux services des urgences en santé mentale pédiatrique.

Affiliation

Director of Mental Health Research, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Longwoods Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

25410699

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To examine mental health (MH) presentations to the emergency department (ED) of a paediatric hospital following two highly publicized local teen suicides.

METHODS: Youths aged 12-18 years with a MH chief complaint and/or diagnosis were included. Differences in frequencies were analyzed using chi-square tests, and relative risks were evaluated using generalized linear modelling.

RESULTS: Significant increases in the number of ED presentations were found within the months of the publicized suicides compared to the same months of previous years. No differences were found in symptom acuity, suicidal status and psychiatric hospitalization rates. Significant increases were found in relative risk of presenting to the ED 28 and 90 days post both publicized suicides.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest there was an association between highly publicized suicides and an increase in the number of MH presentations to the local paediatric ED. Considerations of media's potentially positive role in MH awareness are needed.

Language: en