@article{ref1,
title="Postcards from the EDge: 24-month outcomes of a randomised controlled trial for hospital-treated self-poisoning",
journal="British journal of psychiatry",
year="2007",
author="Carter, G. L. and Clover, Kerrie and Whyte, I. M. and Dawson, A. H. and D'Este, Catherine",
volume="191",
number="",
pages="548-553",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Repetition of self-poisoning is common. AIMS: To report the 24-month outcomes of a non-obligatory postcard intervention (plus treatment as usual) compared with treatment as usual. METHOD: In a randomised-controlled trial (Zelen design) conducted in Newcastle, Australia, eight postcards were sent to participants over a 12-month period. The principal outcomes were the proportion of participants with one or more repeat episodes of self-poisoning and the number of repeat episodes per person. RESULTS: No significant reduction was observed in the proportion of people repeating self-poisoning in the intervention group (21.2%, 95% CI 17.0-25.3) compared with the control group (22.8%, 95% CI 18.7-27.0; chi(2)=0.32, d.f.=1, P=0.57); the difference between groups was -1.7% (95% CI -7.5 to 4.2). There was a significant reduction in the rate of repetition, with an incidence risk ratio of 0.49 (95% CI 0.33-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: A postcard intervention maintained the halving of the rate of repetition of hospital-treated self-poisoning events over a 2-year period, although it did not significantly reduce the proportion of individuals who repeated self-poisoning.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0007-1250",
doi="10.1192/bjp.bp.107.038406",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.107.038406"
}