J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2016 Aug;55(3):224-233. 10.4306/jknpa.2016.55.3.224.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics between Single and Repeated Suicide Attempters Admitted to Emergency Room

• Koo T
• Lee K
• Seo WS
• Lee JH
• Kim HC
• Lee SW
• Won S

• KMID: 2351549
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2016.55.3.224

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study compares single and repeat suicide attempts, and evaluates the risk factors associated with suicide re-attempts.
METHODS
Two hundred and seventy-nine patients admitted to emergency rooms in four university hospitals in Daegu after suicide attempt were included in this study (n=179 single suicide attempters, n=100 repeated attempters). A structured interview focused on demographic, clinical, suicidal and psychological characteristics was administered to these patients after recovery from physical and psychological impairments.
RESULTS
Individuals with repeated suicide attempts were younger, more highly educated, had more history of psychiatric treatments, took more psychiatric medications, and had more sustained suicidal ideations, bipolar disorders and personality disorders than individuals with single suicide attempt. Individuals with repeated suicide attempts marked significantly higher scores in the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Multivariate logistic regression showed that below the sixties, history of psychiatric treatments, personality disorders, substance use disorders and sustained suicidal ideations were significantly associated with predictive factors for subsequent suicide attempt.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that repeat suicide attempters have different clinical characteristics from single suicide attempters, and some risk factors raise the risk of further suicide attempts. It is necessary for suicidal prevention program planners to be aware of these risk factors, especially for first-time suicide attempters.

Keyword

Repeated suicide attempts; Clinical characteristics; Predictive factors; Emergency room

MeSH Terms

Bipolar Disorder
Daegu
Emergencies*
Emergency Service, Hospital*
Hospitals, University
Humans
Logistic Models
Personality Disorders
Risk Factors
Substance-Related Disorders
Suicidal Ideation
Suicide*

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