Citation

Sinclair JM, Hawton KE, Gray A. J. Affect. Disord. 2010; 121(3): 247-252.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Neurosciences, Royal South Hants Hospital, Brintons Terrace, Southampton, SO14 0YG, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2009.05.027

PMID

19564047

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Mortality from suicide and other causes is significantly increased in patients who engage in self-harm, but their long-term morbidity and quality of life are poorly defined. As the majority of self-harm patients are under the age of 35 years, understanding their longer term health outcomes is important if we are to adequately manage their care. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term mortality, morbidity and quality of life of such patients. METHOD: A representative cohort of patients who had presented to hospital following an episode of self-harm was traced after 6 years. Mortality and repetition of self-harm were primary outcome measures. Psychiatric morbidity and indices of quality of life, and social functioning were also obtained. RESULTS: 143/150 (95.3%) patients were traced after a mean of 6.2 years. Eight (5.6%) had died during follow-up, significantly more than general population estimates (p

Language: en