Citation

Brakoulias V, Ryan C, Byth K. Australas. Psychiatry 2006; 14(2): 192-197.

Affiliation

Psychiatry Registrar, North-west Training Zone, Department of Psychiatry, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1111/j.1440-1665.2006.02262.x

PMID

16734649

Abstract

Objective: To examine Australian trends in deliberate self-harm in order to explore aetiological factors and improve clinical practice. Method: A database recording 5 years of activity of a consultation-liaison service from a large tertiary referral hospital in Sydney was analysed to discover trends in types of self-harm, sex, age, marital status, repetition rates, diagnoses and follow up. Results: 1295 patients with deliberate self-harm were referred to the Service over the 5 years. Of these patients, women exceeded men (ratio of 1.48:1). Self-poisoning constituted 79.5% of the referrals. Rates of self-harm referrals increased from 1999 to 2001, but appeared to plateau in 2002 and 2003. Eighty-eight per cent of referrals were first presentations of self-harm. Most referrals received the diagnosis of adjustment disorder with depressed mood, but a significant proportion was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and schizophrenia, particularly in those that violently self-harmed. There was a significant decline in the rate of admission to hospital over the study period. Conclusions: While patient characteristics did not change significantly, there was a decline in admission rates to hospital. Many patients had serious mental illnesses, highlighting the importance of a thorough psychiatric assessment of people who self-harm.

Language: en