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Attempted suicide and psychiatric consultation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Kirsi H. Suominen ,
Erkki T. Isometsä  and
Jouko K. Lönnqvist
Kirsi H. Suominen*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland Department of Psychiatry, Jorvi Hospital,Helsinki University Central Hospital, Espoo,Finland
Erkki T. Isometsä
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland
Jouko K. Lönnqvist
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, 00300 Helsinki, Finland
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail address: [email protected] (K.H. Suominen).
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Abstract

This study investigated the differences in clinical characteristics between suicide attempters referred or not referred to psychiatric consultation after a suicide attempt and factors affecting such referral to psychiatric aftercare after attempted suicide. All 1198 consecutive suicide attempters treated in hospital emergency rooms in Helsinki during a 12-month period were identified. Data were gathered on any psychiatric consultation after the attempt and on all health care contacts 1 year before and after the index attempt. We found that half of the suicide attempters who were not referred to psychiatric consultation were without any aftercare recommendation and treatment contact soon after their attempt. Factors predicting referral to psychiatric consultation were age, psychotic disorder, lack of substance use disorder and, most strongly, the hospital where the suicide attempt was treated. Although the characteristics of a patient attempting suicide do play a role in determining whether a psychiatric consultation will take place or not, the most important factor is the consultation practices of the particular hospital. This in turn influences the probability of adequate aftercare.

Keywords

Attempted suicideHealth careTreatmentPsychiatric consultation
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , May 2004 , pp. 140 - 145
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 European Psychiatric Association

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