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Assessment of suicide attempts in an emergency service of a General Hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

M. Pérez García
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
B. Portela Traba
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
A. Mozos Ansorena
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
J.M. Cornes Iglesias
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
M. Páramo Fernandez
Affiliation:
Psychiatry, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Abstract

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Introduction

There is a high frequency of attendance at emergency medical service for suicide attempts.

Objectives

Determine the type of urgency for suicide attempt in our country.

Material and methods

The present study treats of suicide attempts (n = 248) attended by the Psychiatric Emergency Service of Hospital in our city between 2004–2008. The diagnoses were made by clinical interview following ICD-10 criteria.

Results

248 suicide attempts (60% women), with age between 15 and 88 years.There are equal proportions of singles and married (a 38%). 53% live with couple with/without children, 30%live with parents and a 10%live alone. >55% of patients have a middle education and socioeconomic level. The average time from suicide attempt until the assessment in the emergency department is 2.71 ± 3.64 hours. The day of the week with more assistance for this reason is Monday. Also it's observed an increase in the months between May and October. The cases are uniformly distributed throughout the month, although there is a decrease in the number of cases in the initial and final days of the month. 60% of patients haven’t history of previous attempts and use an only method that is drug overdose. Personality disorders are the most frequent diagnose and 44% patients need an internment in a psychiatric ward.

Conclusions

Profile of the patient who makes a suicide attempt and that is evaluated in the Psychiatric Emergency Service of our Hospital: woman 36 years old, married/with couple and lives with him/her. She comes to emergency department in the first 4 hours after the drug overdose. She hasn’t history of previous attempts.She is diagnosed of emotionally unstable personality disorder.

Type
P03-465
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2011
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