Citation

McHugh C, Balaratnasingam S, Campbell A, Chapman M. Australas. Psychiatry 2016; 25(1): 35-39.

Affiliation

Consultant Psychiatrist, Kimberley Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol Service, Broome, WA, and; University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia murray.chapman@health.wa.gov.au.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1039856216671682

PMID

27733662

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate of presentations for suicidal ideation and deliberate self-harm in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, characterized in terms of age, gender, rates of repetition and engagement with community mental health services.

METHODS: An observational study of health service presentations over 12 months. SETTING: 10 sites across the region with police services were included, capturing the overwhelming majority of self-harm presentations in the region. PARTICIPANTS: all Indigenous presentations were analyzed. Of the 433 individuals who presented, 361 were Indigenous. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: suicidal phenomena, including suicidal ideation and any type of deliberate self-harm regardless of intent.

RESULTS: Analysis suggests a broadly similar age and sex stratification of self-harm in this population compared with international reports. The rates, however, are 5-20 times higher than those reported in non-Indigenous populations in Australia and abroad, depending on whether the comparison rate is calculated from population surveys or hospital presentations.

CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of suicidal phenomena is very high and is likely to be much higher than estimated by this hospital based study. Such high prevalence suggests that a population level intervention is required in addition to interventions involving clinical services.

© The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Language: en