title: Can early follow-up after deliberate self-harm reduce repetition? A prospective study of 325 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients who deliberately harm themselves often repeat their self-destructive acts. The objective of this study was to assess whether a follow-up visit within 10 days to a psychiatric consultant could reduce the frequency of repeated deliberate self-harm (DSH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 325 consecutive DSH patients attending two large emergency departments in Stockholm, Sweden, were included and followed for 6 months. Any visit to a psychiatric consultant within 10 days was registered as an early follow-up. Repeated DSH episode within 6 months among the 325 patients was detected via nationwide registers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated DSH within 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months follow-up 22 (24%) of 92 patients with an early follow-up had repeated their DSH acts compared to 58 (25%) of 233 patients without an early follow-up (OR 1.06 (95% CI: 0.60-1.85) p-value 0.85). After adjustment for possible confounders, multivariable analysis showed an OR of 1.22 (95% CI: 0.62-2.38, p-value 0.56).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early follow-up was registered as any visit to a psychiatric consultant and no information regarding actions taken at the visit were obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After adjusting for other factors associated with repetition there was an association of patients who were offered and thereafter attended an early follow-up visit and a decreased risk of repeated DSH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Section of Internal Medicine, Södersjukhuset, SE-118 83 Stockholm, Sweden; Section of Emergency Medicine, Sweden. Electronic address: katarina.bilen@sodersjukhuset.se.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bilén
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pettersson
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Owe-Larsson
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ekdahl
authors.forename: Carin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ottosson
authors.forename: Maaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castrén
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ponzer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Deliberate self-harm; Emergency service; Follow-up care; Self-injury; Self-poisoning