Investigating the co-occurrence of self-mutilation and suicide attempts among opioid-dependent individuals.
The prevalence and risk factors associated with self-mutilation among opioid dependent cases and controls were determined, and the co-occurrence of self-mutilation and attempted suicide was examined. The prevalence of self-mutilation among cases and controls did not differ significantly (25% vs. 23%, respectively), with gender differences identified among cases only. A number of risk factors were found to be associated with self-mutilation, including borderline personality disorder, alcohol dependence, childhood sexual abuse, and multiple suicide attempts. Not only is self-mutilation a clinically significant problem, but when combined with a history of attempted suicide, the psychological dysfunction observed is markedly high.
Maloney
Elizabeth
E
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales 2052, Sydney, Australia. e.maloney@unsw.edu.au
Degenhardt
Louisa
L
Darke
Shane
S
Nelson
Elliot C
EC
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted