Citation

Dudley M, Nirur M. Arch. Suicide Res. 2002; 6(2): 155-165.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811110208951173

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Descriptive, cross sectional, retrospective audit of hospital admission records was undertaken for youth (10-25 years) deliberate self poisoning (DSP) admissions, to ascertain (1) the frequency of psychiatric assessment (2) the quality of information collected, and (3) frequency and completeness of follow-up plans. Patients and setting: From 1,260 youth poisoning admissions to three university teaching hospitals in Sydney in 1991-1994, a stratified random sample of 167 cases was selected for medical record review. 16% of cases did not have a psychiatric assessment or this information was absent. Key mental health data in the rest (e.g., regarding self-harm history, life events, psychotropic drugs) were often missing. Follow-up plans, organised in 37%, were rarely systematically documented. Identified mental health patients were less likely to be coded as having deliberately self-harmed. Women were 1.82 times more likely to receive a psychiatric assessment than men. Compared to older patients, younger ones more often received mental health assessment (p = 0.02), and younger identified mental health patients more often received assertive follow-up plans (U = 187, p = 0.04). © 2002 International Academy for Suicide Research. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Deliberate self-poisoning; Management; Suicide attempt; Youth