[Analysis of features for suicide attempters at emergency departments in general hospitals].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of various mental disorders of suicide attempters and analyze the clinical features of suicide attempters with mental disorders.


METHODS
The investigators randomly selected four Class III general hospitals from different parts of Shenyang and collected 239 suicide attempters over 15 years old at emergency room. When the conditions of suicide attempters improved after rescue, the investigators studied by suicide general table, self-injury questionnaire, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale for Depression-24 and Structure Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Patient Edition.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of mental disorders in attempted suicides was 69.46% while self-injury, one of the highest prevalent mood disorders, accounted for 48.12%. During the year before suicide, only 7.23% of the suicide attempters with mental disorders consulted a psychologist or psychiatrist, and took anti-psychosis drugs, anti-depression or anti-anxiety drugs. Suicide attempters with mental disorders often committed suicide less impulsively. And their purpose was to relieve themselves and reduce the burden of others so that the rate of self-help was lower after their injuries occurred; suicide attempters with mental disorders had more obvious symptoms. And their degrees of depression were greater (P < 0.05) than ones without mental disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of mental disorders at emergency rooms in general hospitals is high in suicide attempts, but the pre-suicide consulting rate remains so low. The depressive components of mental disorders are most directly related to suicidal behaviors of suicide attempters.
Tan
Shan-yong
SY
Department of Neurology, Zhujiang Hospital, South Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, China.
Qin
Xiao-xia
XX
Li
Yan
Y
Deng
Guan-hua
GH
D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires