Gender differences in methods of suicide attempts and prevalence of previous suicide attempts.
OBJECTIVE
Suicide attempts are important predictors of completed suicide. Adolescents admitted to the emergency room of a large university hospital in Bern after a suicide attempt during the years 2004-2010 were prospectively assessed for methods of suicide attempt.


METHODS
Adolescents (N = 257; 66.5% female; age 14-21 years), presenting after a suicide attempt, were assessed with the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Parasuicide assessment tool.


RESULTS
Males more often used jumping from a high place (14% vs. 4.6% in females, p < .05) and less often intoxication (36% vs. 71.3%, p < .01). At least one previous suicide attempt was reported in 100 patients (44.4%; more females than males: Cramer-V = 0.21; p = .002). Of these, 35 adolescents did not present to this hospital or not at all for a previous suicide attempt.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study is the first to examine methods of suicide attempts according to the ICD-10 X codes in this age group. Gender differences were observed. Because a relevant number of patients did not present to the same hospital or not at all for a previous suicide attempt, studies on pathways to care of adolescents after their first suicide attempt are important for early detection and intervention strategies.
University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Bern, <location>Bern, Switzerland</location>
Stephan
S
Kupferschmid
Anja
A
Gysin-Maillart
Salome K
SK
Bühler
Timur
T
Steffen
Konrad
K
Michel
Benno G
BG
Schimmelmann
Thomas
T
Reisch
D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult
Depression; Jugendalter; Selbstverletzung; Suizidalität; Suizidversuch; adolescence; depression; self-mutilation; suicide; youth