title: Factors associated with referral to mental health services among suicide attempters visiting emergency centers of general hospitals in Korea: does history of suicide attempts predict referral?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether a history of past suicide attempts was a critical factor for referral to mental health services among suicide attempters visiting emergency centers of general hospitals in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, a resident of emergency medicine at each emergency center interviewed 310 suicide attempters visiting five tertiary general hospitals located in Seoul, using standardized questionnaires, during 7 months in 2007. We examined associations between suicide attempt history and referral to mental health services via multiple logistic regressions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects' rate of referral to mental health services was 47.3%. When we controlled for participant age, time of arrival at the emergency center, psychiatric treatment history, use of alcohol, suicide attempt lethality and subjective expectation to suicide attempts, past suicide attempts did not predict referral to mental health services (odds ratio=1.74; 95% confidence interval .88-3.43).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychiatric interventions for suicide reattempters visiting emergency centers are important for preventing suicide, but providers have not considered suicide attempt history as a critical factor for referral to mental health services. Therefore, we suggest that more effort is needed to systemize psychiatric interventions for suicide reattempters at emergency centers in Korea.
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, and Clinical Research Center for Depression of Korea, South Korea.
authors: Sun-Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Jo
authors: Myung-Soo
authors: MS
authors: Lee
authors: Hyeon Woo
authors: HW
authors: Yim
authors: Han Joon
authors: HJ
authors: Kim
authors: Kyeongryong
authors: K
authors: Lee
authors: Hyun Soo
authors: HS
authors: Chung
authors: Junho
authors: J
authors: Cho
authors: Seung-Pil
authors: SP
authors: Choi
authors: Young Mi
authors: YM
authors: Seo