Multiple attempters of suicide presenting at an emergency department.
As part of a study involving seven hundred and forty-seven (747) consecutive cases of self-injury presenting at the emergency department of an inner city hospital, data pertaining to a multiple attempt group of ninety-nine subjects were compared with the data pertaining to first attempters. All subjects were rated on Beck's Lethality Scales, Intent Scale and Hopelessness Scale. In addition, a standard interview was conducted to provide psychosocial information. Of the total suicide attempt population, 14% can be considered chronic. The multiple attempters were found to show more chronicity in their symptomatology, poorer coping histories, a positive family history of suicidal behaviour and a positive history of alcohol and drug abuse, all at a statistically significant level compared with first-time attempters. The multiple attempters also tend to show higher lethality and depression ratings, less impulsiveness and are significantly more often admitted to the in-patient unit following the attempt, than first attempters. Their intent scores were significantly related to their sense of hopelessness, which may be a reflection of their basic feelings of inadequacy. It was concluded that the multiple or "chronic" attempter differed sufficiently from the first-time attempter to warrant special intervention strategies.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population