TY - JOUR
PY - 2024//
TI - Predictors of inpatient suicide in an Irish psychiatric service, a longitudinal case-control study
JO - Suicide and life-threatening behavior
A1 - Hartnett, Yvonne
A1 - Thekiso, Thekiso B.
A1 - Kowalska-Beda, Paulina
A1 - Maher, Tom
A1 - McLoughlin, Declan M.
A1 - Kennedy, Noel
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Inpatient suicide remains difficult to predict. This study aimed to identify individual patient predictors to help identify those at greater risk.
METHODS: This case-control study was undertaken in an independent mental health service in Ireland. Cases were drawn from all admissions to the service between March 2004 and February 2019. Controls were matched for date of admission. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.
RESULTS: Thirty-three cases of inpatient suicide were compared to 132 controls. The inpatient suicide rate was 76.2 per 100,000 admissions. The rate of inpatient suicide fell in line with national rates despite less restrictive practices being implemented in the service. Males accounted for 66% of cases. Hanging was the most common method of suicide overall and among male patients, and drowning was the most common among females. Male gender, tertiary referral, an adverse psychosocial event during admission, a period of absence without leave and expressing hopelessness were identified as independent risk factors for inpatient suicide. Substance use, involuntary detention, family history of suicide, and number of previous admissions were not significant.
CONCLUSIONS: While not highly sensitive, a period of absence without leave, tertiary referral and hopelessness are important predictors of inpatient suicide risk that treating teams should consider in care planning.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 0363-0234 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/sltb.13073 ID - ref1 ER -