title: [Features of adolescents hospitalized for a suicide attempt in a general hospital].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide, suicide is the third cause of death among adolescents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the socio-demographic context and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents hospitalized for suicidal behavior in a general hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2007 and 2009, we evaluated 47 patients with a mean age of 15.3 years (87% women) admitted for suicidal behavior at the Clinical Hospital of the Catholic University of Chile. Demographic data of the participants were registered. Clinical interviews were done by a child and adolescent psychiatrist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty seven percent of patients lived with both parents. Fifty one percent had previous suicide attempts and 68% had a previous psychiatric treatment. The main trigger was a conflict with parents in 66%. The psychiatric diagnoses were major depressive episode in 74.5% and pathological development of personality in 43%. All suicide attempts were with drugs and 6.4% were associated with cuts. Seventeen percent of attempts were classified as medically serious and they were more common in older age groups. Non severe attempts were observed mainly in women (92.3%). Acetaminophen intake was recorded in 8.5% of cases. Admission to hospital increased in the final quarter of the year. High costs of hospitalization were observed associated to stays in high complexity units.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The population studied shows a high incidence of prior suicidal behavior. Most of the studied patients had attempts that were not classified as serious. These occurred predominantly in women in all age ranges. Medically serious suicidal behavior is mainly observed in older adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Psiquiatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. cinzunza@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Inzunza C
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Navia G
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Catalán
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brehme
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ventura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult