Citation

Chen VC, Tan HK, Chen CY, Chen TH, Liao LR, Lee CT, Dewey M, Stewart R, Prince M, Cheng AT. Br. J. Psychiatry 2011; 198(1): 31-36.

Affiliation

MD, PhD, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, 11529. bmandrew@gate.sinica.edu.tw.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

10.1192/bjp.bp.110.080952

PMID

21200074

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Little is known about outcomes after self-harm in East Asia. AIMS: To investigate mortality after self-harm in a Taiwanese population. METHOD: Between 2000 and 2003, 1083 individuals who self-harmed were identified through a population self-harm register in Nantou County, Taiwan, and followed until 2007 for date and cause of death on a national mortality database. RESULTS: In total, 145 individuals died, 48 through suicide. The risks of all-cause and suicide mortality in the first year were 4.7% and 2.1% respectively, representing 8- and 131-fold age- and gender-standardised increases. Male gender and older age were independent risk factors for both suicide and non-suicide mortality. Use of more lethal methods in the index episode was associated with higher mortality but this was accounted for by gender. CONCLUSIONS: Results in this sample support the recommendation that people with a history of recent self-harm should be a major target for suicide prevention programmes.

Language: en