title: Deliberate self harm and the Probation Service; an overlooked public health problem?
abstract: Reducing the suicide rate is one of chief targets of Health of the nation, although consideration scepticism has been expressed about whether or not this can be achieved. We have reported that nearly a third of those supervised by the West Yorkshire Probation Service had a history of deliberate self harm (DSH). Comparing the known risk factors for DSH and suicide with the composition of those supervised by the Probation Service suggests this is a high-risk group that has not traditionally been well served by mental health services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College, School of Medicine and Dentistry, London.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wessely
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akhurst
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moss
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D011330:Prisons; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology