Citation

Ferreira AD, Sponholz-Jr A, Mantovani C, Pazin-Filho A, Passos AD, Botega NJ, Del-Ben CM. Arch. Suicide Res. 2015; 20(2): 191-204.

Affiliation

a Emergency Hospital of the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, Division of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Behavior , Medical School of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2015.1004491

PMID

25961847

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Characterize admissions to an emergency hospital due to suicide attempts and verify outcomes in two years.

METHOD: Data were collected from medical records and were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

RESULTS: The sample consisted of 412 patients (58.7% women; mean age = 32.6 years old, SD = 14.3). Self-poisoning was the most frequent method (84.0%), and they were diagnosed mainly as depressive (40.3%) and borderline personality disorders (19.1%). Previous suicide attempts and current psychiatric treatment were reported by, respectively, 32.0% and 28.4%. Fifteen patients (3.6%, 9 males) died during hospitalization. At discharge, 79.3% were referred to community-based psychiatric services. Being male (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.25-3.55), using violent methods (i.e., hanging, firearms and knives) (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.02-3.75) and psychiatric treatment history (OR = 2.58; 95% CI = 1.53-4.36) were predictors for psychiatric hospitalization. Of 258 patients followed for 2 years, 10 (3.9%) died (3 suicide), and 24 (9.3%) undertook new suicide attempts. Patients with a history of psychiatric treatment had higher risks of new suicide attempts (OR = 2.46, 95% CI = 1.07-5.65).

CONCLUSIONS: Suicide attempters admitted to emergency hospitals exhibit severe psychiatric disorders, and despite interventions, they continue to present high risks for suicide attempts and death.

Language: en