Citation

Granboulan V, Roudot-Thoraval F, Lemerle S, Alvin P. Acta Psychiatr. Scand. 2001; 104(1): 31-36.

Affiliation

Department of Paedopsychiatry, Hopital Intercommunal, Creteil, France.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11437747

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To study short-term compliance with follow-up care in a sample of adolescent suicide attempters. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-seven adolescents, aged from 13-18 years and hospitalized after a suicide attempt, completed a questionnaire that included the CES-Depression Scale and Zung Anxiety Scale. Physicians assessed the hospital care immediately after the attempt, and post-discharge care plans. Three months later, adolescents were contacted by telephone and asked about follow-up care. RESULTS: After 3 months, 91.6% of the adolescents could be contacted: 25.5% never attended any follow-up; 11.1% went only once; 31.4% missed some appointments; and 32.0% went to all their scheduled appointments. Adolescents who complied with follow-up care differed significantly from those who did not: they showed more depression, anxiety and illicit drug use at the time of the attempt; they had more often planned the attempt; they were hospitalized longer; and they met with a psychiatrist more often while hospitalized. Compliance was also better when the follow-up appointment was scheduled before discharge. CONCLUSION: Compliance with post-discharge follow-up care depends upon the adolescent's psychopathology but may also be improved by the type of hospital care and post-discharge plans.

Language: en