Diggins, E, Kelley, R, Cottrell, D orcid.org/0000-0001-8674-0955 et al. (2 more authors) (2017) Age-related differences in self-harm presentations and subsequent management of adolescents and young adults at the emergency department. Journal of Affective Disorders, 208. pp. 399-405. ISSN 0165-0327
Abstract
Background: Characteristics of self-harm differ across ages, but there is little work identifying age-related differences in younger people. Young people entering adolescence face emotionally and developmentally different challenges to those entering adulthood. This study investigates how Emergency Department (ED) presentations and management of self-harm differ through adolescence and early adulthood. Methods: 3782 consecutive self-harm episodes involving 2559 people aged 12–25 years were identified from an existing database of Leeds ED attendances from 2004 to 2007. Odds ratios for each of four age bands were compared to the remaining young people. Results: The female to male ratio was 6.3:1 at 12–14 years old, decreasing with successive age groups to 1.2:1 at 22–25 years old. Self-poisoning was commoner in those under 18 years old. 18–25 year olds were more likely to self-poison with prescribed medications, mixed overdoses, alcohol or recreational drugs. 18–25 year olds more often required medical treatment for the effects of the self-harm. 12–14 year olds were more often seen urgently by ED medical staff and offered high intensity mental health aftercare. Repetition of self-harm was commonest in 12–14 year olds, although multiple repetition of self-harm was commonest in 22–25 year olds. Limitations: Data were not collected on whether the aftercare offered was received. The study sample included hospital attenders only. Conclusions: The large excess of females over males in young people's self-harm is only true at the younger age range. Older adolescents present with more severe acts of self-harm, yet receive the lowest intensity of assessment and after care.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016, Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Journal of Affective Disorders. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Self-harm; Suicide; Young people |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) > Academic Unit of Elderly Care and Rehabilitation (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) > Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Department of Health MS145/0405/02 Department of Health MS145/0405/02 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 26 Oct 2016 11:02 |
Last Modified: | 23 Oct 2017 11:29 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.10.014 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.jad.2016.10.014 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:106538 |