Effect of a Suicide Prevention Centre for young people with suicidal behaviour in Copenhagen.
BACKGROUND
In the 1980s, suicide rates in Denmark were among the highest in the world. In 1992, a Suicide Prevention Centre was opened in Copenhagen with a 2-week programme of social and psychological treatment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the Suicide Prevention Centre.


METHODS
In a quasi-experimental study, 362 patients in the Suicide Prevention Centre and a parallel comparison group of 39 patients were interviewed with European Parasuicide Study Interviewer Schedule I (EPSIS I), which is a comprehensive interview including several validated scales. All patients were invited to follow-up interviews with EPSIS II and followed in the National Patients Register and the Cause of Death Register.


RESULTS
At the 1-year follow-up, 59% of patients in the intervention group and 53% of patients in the comparison groups were interviewed with EPSIS II. The intervention group obtained a significantly greater improvement in Beck's Depression Inventory, Hopelessness Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and CAGE-score and a significantly lower repetition rate.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the design cannot exclude selection bias, it seems likely that the improvement in the intervention group was facilitated by the treatment.
Nordentoft
M
M
Department of Psychiatry, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. merete.nordentoft@dadlnet.dk
Branner
J
J
Drejer
K
K
Mejsholm
B
B
Hansen
H
H
Petersson
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000401:mortality; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D015996:Survival Rate; D000092864:Suicide Prevention