TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Self-harm during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in England: comparative trend analysis of hospital presentations
JO  - Journal of affective disorders
A1  - Hawton, Keith
A1  - Casey, Deborah
A1  - Bale, Elizabeth
A1  - Brand, Fiona
A1  - Ness, Jennifer
A1  - Waters, Keith
A1  - Kelly, Samantha
A1  - Geulayov, Galit
SP  - 991
EP  - 995
VL  - 282
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and public health measures necessary to address it may have major effects on mental health, including on self-harm. We have used well-established monitoring systems in two hospitals in England to investigate trends in self-harm presentations to hospitals during the early period of the pandemic. <br><br>METHOD: Data collected in Oxford and Derby on patients aged 18 years and over who received a psychosocial assessment after presenting to the emergency departments following self-harm were used to compare trends during the three-month period following lockdown in the UK (23(rd) March 2020) to the period preceding lockdown and the equivalent period in 2019. <br><br>RESULTS: During the 12 weeks following introduction of lockdown restrictions there was a large reduction in the number of self-harm presentations to hospitals by individuals aged 18 years and over compared to the pre-lockdown weeks in 2020 (mean weekly reduction of 13.5 (95% CI 5.6 - 21.4) and the equivalent period in 2019 (mean weekly reduction of 18.0 (95% CI 13.9 - 22.1). The reduction was greater in females than males, occurred in all age groups, with a larger reduction in presentations following self-poisoning than self-injury. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: A substantial decline in hospital presentations for self-harm occurred during the three months following the introduction of lockdown restrictions. Reasons could include a reduction in self-harm at the community level and individuals avoiding presenting to hospital following self-harm. Longer-term monitoring of self-harm behaviour during the pandemic is essential, together with efforts to encourage help-seeking and the modification of care provision.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0165-0327
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.015
ID  - ref1
ER  -