J Korean Med Sci.  2012 Mar;27(3):307-312. 10.3346/jkms.2012.27.3.307.

Characteristics of Patients Who Visit the Emergency Department with Self-Inflicted Injury

• Lee CA
• Choi SC
• Jung KY
• Cho SH
• Lim KY
• Pai KS
• Cho JP

• KMID: 1793003
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2012.27.3.307

Abstract

During visits to emergency medical facilities, the primary care of and risk identification for individuals who have attempted suicide is considered an important element in suicide prevention. With the ultimate goal of helping to prevent suicide, the aim of the present study was to determine the characteristics of patients with self-inflicted injuries who presented in the emergency department. Patients with self-inflicted injuries who visited 1 of 3 sentinel emergency medical centers from 2007 through 2009 were included in the study. The characteristics, methods, and reasons for suicide attempts were evaluated. Moreover, predictors of severe outcomes were evaluated. A total of 2,996 patients with self-inflicted injuries visited the three centers during a period of 3 yr. The male-to-female suicide ratio was 1:1.38 (P < 0.001). The mean age was 41 yr. Poisoning was the most common method of self-inflicted injury (68.7%) among all age groups. Medication was the primary means of injury in the < 50 age group, and the use of agricultural chemicals was the primary means in the > or = 50 age group. The reasons for attempting suicide varied among the age groups. The predictors of severe outcome are male gender, older age, and not having consumed alcohol.

Keyword

Suicide, Attempted; Suicidal Ideation; Emergencies

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Poisoning/epidemiology
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Self-Injurious Behavior/*epidemiology
Sex Factors
Suicide/prevention & control
Suicide, Attempted/*statistics & numerical data
Young Adult

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Summary of treatment outcomes among the patients who visited an emergency department with a self-inflicted injury.

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