title: Suicide attempts and emergency room psychiatric consultation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicidal behaviours are major public health concerns worldwide. They are associated with risk factors that vary with age and gender, occur in combination, and may change over time. The aim of our study was to investigate how frequently patients visiting a hospital emergency room (ER) require a psychiatric consultation for attempted suicide, and to outline the characteristics of this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Determinants of emergency room visits for psychiatric reasons were studied prospectively from 2008 to 2011 at the "Maggiore" Hospital in Novara.
  
  
  RESULTS
  280 out of 1888 patients requiring psychiatric consultation were referred to the ER because of suicide attempt. Suicide attempters were more often female. The rate of suicide attempters among Italian people was 14.2%, compared to 19.5% in foreigners. Subjects living with parents or own family and those having a permanent job had a higher frequency of suicide attempt. Suicide attempts were more frequent among patients with a history of psychiatric disorders; nonetheless, suicide attempts were more common among those who had not previously been hospitalized in a psychiatric ward or were not under the care of a psychiatrist. The multivariate analysis found that female gender was a risk factor for suicide attempt, while being in the colder months of the year and, surprisingly, unemployment were protective factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A better understanding of patients referring to the ER due to attempted suicide may allow the identification of at-risk subjects and the implementation of targeted treatment approaches.
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Zeppegno
authors: Carla
authors: C
authors: Gramaglia
authors: Luigi Mario
authors: LM
authors: Castello
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Bert
authors: Maria Rosaria
authors: MR
authors: Gualano
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Ressico
authors: Isabella
authors: I
authors: Coppola
authors: Gian Carlo
authors: GC
authors: Avanzi
authors: Roberta
authors: R
authors: Siliquini
authors: Eugenio
authors: E
authors: Torre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors
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