@article{ref1,
title="Differences between medically treated and untreated non-fatal self-harm reported by hotline callers in China",
journal="PeerJ",
year="2019",
author="Tong, Yongsheng and Yin, Yi and Liu, Nancy H.",
volume="7",
number="",
pages="e7868-e7868",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Many self-harmers do not present in hospitals due to the self-harm. It is still unclear on the differences between medically treated and untreated self-harm in China. This study described the differences of the two groups of self-harmers using the largest psychological aid hotline data. <br><br>METHODS: The present observational study recruited 3,403 hotline callers who reported episodes of self-harm before the call. In routine assessment, information about the most recent episode of self-harm was collected, including the method of self-harm, the wish to die, goals of the self-harm, and any medical treatment (irrespective of psychological services) in the hospital. The callers were divided into two groups: those who received hospital-based medical treatment due to the most recent self-harm (treated self-harm callers) and those who did not (untreated self-harm callers). <br><br>RESULTS: In the most recent episode of self-harm, 65% (<i>n</i> = 2,217) of callers were untreated and 55% (1,226/2,217) of the untreated self-harm callers reported a wish to die. A total of 67% of the callers reported that their main goal of self-harm was to relieve suffering. The most common self-harm methods were using instruments (knife or rope) and overdosing on medicines. Compared with treated self-harm callers, the untreated self-harm callers were less likely to have a wish to die (OR = 0.57), engage in self-harm outside the home (OR = 0.71 and 0.78), and attribute their self-harm to romantic relationship problems (OR = 0.76); however, they were more likely to use instruments, to jump, or to choose other methods (OR = 3.73, 3.83, and 7.71, respectively). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Among hotline callers, many episodes of self-harm did not receive medical treatment, despite over half reporting a wish to die. Characteristics of self-harm behaviors were different between treated and untreated self-harm callers. Our findings suggest that more strategies should improve access to hospital-based medical treatment and coverage for post-intervention for self-harmers who are not presented in hospitals.<br><br>© 2019 Tong et al.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2167-8359",
doi="10.7717/peerj.7868",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7868"
}