Citation

Ayton A, Rasool H, Cottrell D. Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2003; 12(6): 303-307.

Affiliation

West End Child and Family Service, 2062-68 Hessle Road, Hessle HU13 9NW, North Humberside, UK. A.K.Ayton@hull.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00787-003-0344-0

PMID

14689263

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that adult suicidal behaviour is associated with unemployment and social deprivation. The association between self-harm and social deprivation in young people is less clear. AIMS: To examine the relationship between social deprivation and deliberate self-harm in children and adolescents in an UK district. METHOD: Computer records of patients under 18 years of age presenting with self-harm at the district casualty department were analysed in Hull and East Yorkshire. The relationship with social deprivation was examined using Townsend scores. RESULTS: 730 young people presented with self-harm during a period of two years. Socio-economic deprivation was associated with overdose, self-injury, and poisoning by illicit substances. After controlling for the proportion of single parent households, moving households with children, and adult long-term sickness in each ward, partial correlations remained significant between overdose, self-injury, and Townsend scores. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of socio-economic deprivation in the aetiology of deliberate self-harm in young people. Primary and secondary prevention programs cannot be successful without taking this into consideration.

Language: en