Predictive factors of post-discharge follow-up care among adolescent suicide attempters.
OBJECTIVE
To study short-term compliance with follow-up care in a sample of adolescent suicide attempters.


METHODS
One hundred and sixty-seven adolescents, aged from 13-18 years and hospitalized after a suicide attempt, completed a questionnaire that included the CES-Depression Scale and Zung Anxiety Scale. Physicians assessed the hospital care immediately after the attempt, and post-discharge care plans. Three months later, adolescents were contacted by telephone and asked about follow-up care.


RESULTS
After 3 months, 91.6% of the adolescents could be contacted: 25.5% never attended any follow-up; 11.1% went only once; 31.4% missed some appointments; and 32.0% went to all their scheduled appointments. Adolescents who complied with follow-up care differed significantly from those who did not: they showed more depression, anxiety and illicit drug use at the time of the attempt; they had more often planned the attempt; they were hospitalized longer; and they met with a psychiatrist more often while hospitalized. Compliance was also better when the follow-up appointment was scheduled before discharge.


CONCLUSIONS
Compliance with post-discharge follow-up care depends upon the adolescent's psychopathology but may also be improved by the type of hospital care and post-discharge plans.
Granboulan
V
V
Department of Paedopsychiatry, Hôpital Intercommunal, Créteil, France.
Roudot-Thoraval
F
F
Lemerle
S
S
Alvin
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors