Home > Risk of repetition and subsequent self-harm following presentation to hospital with suicidal ideation: a longitudinal registry study.

Griffin, E and Kavalivdou, K and Bonner, B and O'Hagan, Denise and Corcoran, Paul (2020) Risk of repetition and subsequent self-harm following presentation to hospital with suicidal ideation: a longitudinal registry study. EClinicalMedicine, 23, p. 10078.

External website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...


Background

Few studies have focused on those who present to hospital with suicidal thoughts (suicidal ideation). The aim of this study was to establish the risk of repeat presentation to hospital following suicidal ideation and to identify factors which were associated with further ideation or subsequent self-harm.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Northern Ireland Registry of Self-harm. Risk of repeat presentation following hospital-presenting ideation was analysed using Kaplan Meier analyses, specifically cox proportional hazard models.

Findings

During the period April 2014 to March 2019, a total of 14,695 presentations to hospital due to suicidal ideation were made in Northern Ireland. The cumulative incidence of repeat presentation to hospital was 40·5% within five years, with an 18·3% risk of subsequent self-harm. Previous ideation had the strongest association with repeat presentation. There was evidence of recidivism considering further ideation, with an increased risk according to number of previous presentations. In contrast, risk of subsequent self-harm was highest after the first or second presentation. Male gender and alcohol were associated with further ideation, while females and young people were more likely to re-present with self-harm.

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