Thirteen-year follow-up of deliberate self-harm, using linked data.
BACKGROUND
We describe a national cohort of individuals surviving an episode of deliberate self-harm (DSH). Subsequent admissions for DSH and mortality over the following 13 years were studied.


METHODS
In 1981, 8304 individuals were discharged from Scottish general hospitals with a diagnosis of attempted suicide (E950-959). They were followed-up to the end of 1994 using the Scottish Linked Data Set. Mortality was compared to the Scottish population using person-years analysis.


RESULTS
2624 people (31.6%) were readmitted with further episodes of DSH. The median number of readmissions was 1, range 1-137. The observed:expected ratio for all-cause mortality was 2.26 (95% CI 2.13-2.26). One hundred and sixty-eight people (2%) died from suicide, and 46 (0.6%) from undetermined causes. The observed:expected ratio for suicide plus undetermined deaths was 12.17 (95% CI 10.64-13.91). Accidental deaths in men and homicide deaths in men and women were elevated. The pattern of deaths from other causes suggested that alcohol misuse was a contributory factor.


CONCLUSIONS
People admitted to general hospitals in Scotland after attempted suicide are at high risk of readmission for further episodes of DSH. Long-term follow-up of such large cohorts is impractical, but services should review the scope for intervention in alcohol misuse following DSH.
Hall
D J
DJ
Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries.
O'Brien
F
F
Stark
C
C
Pelosi
A
A
Smith
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000401:mortality*; D013405:Suicide; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*