Dataset Information

Clinical and social outcomes of adolescent self harm: population based birth cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To investigate the mental health, substance use, educational, and occupational outcomes of adolescents who self harm in a general population sample, and to examine whether these outcomes differ according to self reported suicidal intent.

Design

Population based birth cohort study.

Setting

Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a UK birth cohort of children born in 1991-92.

Participants

Data on lifetime history of self harm with and without suicidal intent were available for 4799 respondents who completed a detailed self harm questionnaire at age 16 years. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data.

Main outcome measures

Mental health problems (depression and anxiety disorder), assessed using the clinical interview schedule-revised at age 18 years, self reported substance use (alcohol, cannabis, cigarette smoking, and illicit drugs) at age 18 years, educational attainment at age 16 and 19 years, occupational outcomes at age 19 years, and self harm at age 21 years.

Results

Participants who self harmed with and without suicidal intent at age 16 years were at increased risk of developing mental health problems, future self harm, and problem substance misuse, with stronger associations for suicidal self harm than for non-suicidal self harm. For example, in models adjusted for confounders the odds ratio for depression at age 18 years was 2.21 (95% confidence interval 1.55 to 3.15) in participants who had self harmed without suicidal intent at age 16 years and 3.94 (2.67 to 5.83) in those who had self harmed with suicidal intent. Suicidal self harm, but not self harm without suicidal intent, was also associated with poorer educational and employment outcomes.

Conclusions

Adolescents who self harm seem to be vulnerable to a range of adverse outcomes in early adulthood. Risks were generally stronger in those who had self harmed with suicidal intent, but outcomes were also poor among those who had self harmed without suicidal intent. These findings emphasise the need for early identification and treatment of adolescents who self harm.

SUBMITTER: Mars B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4205277 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundSuicidal thoughts and non-suicidal self-harm are common in adolescents and are strongly associated with suicide attempts. We aimed to identify predictors of future suicide attempts in these high-risk groups.MethodsParticipants were from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a population-based birth cohort study in the UK. The sample included 456 adolescents who reported suicidal thoughts and 569 who reported non-suicidal self-harm at 16 years of age. Logistic regression analyses were used to explore associations between a wide range of prospectively recorded risk factors and future suicide attempts, assessed at the age of 21 years.Findings38 (12%) of 310 participants with suicidal thoughts and 46 (12%) of 380 participants who had engaged in non-suicidal self-harm reported having attempted suicide for the first time by the follow-up at 21 years of age. Among participants with suicidal thoughts, the strongest predictors of transition to attempts were non-suicidal self-harm (odds ratio [OR] 2·78, 95% CI 1·35-5·74; p=0·0059), cannabis use (2·61, 1·11-6·14; p=0·029), other illicit drug use (2·47, 1·02-5·96; p=0·045), exposure to self-harm (family 2·03, 0·93-4·44, p=0·076; friend 1·85, 0·93-3·69, p=0·081), and higher levels of the personality type intellect/openness (1·62, 1·06-2·46; p=0·025). Among participants with non-suicidal self-harm at baseline, the strongest predictors were cannabis use (OR 2·14, 95% CI 1·04-4·41; p=0·038), other illicit drug use (2·17, 1·10-4·27; p=0·025), sleep problems (waking in the night 1·91, 0·95-3·84, p=0·069; insufficient sleep 1·97, 1·02-3·81, p=0·043), and lower levels of the personality type extraversion (0·71, 0·49-1·03; p=0·068).InterpretationMost adolescents who think about suicide or engage in non-suicidal self-harm will not make an attempt on their life. Many commonly cited risk factors were not associated with transition to suicide attempt among these high-risk groups. Our findings suggest that asking about substance use, non-suicidal self-harm, sleep, personality traits, and exposure to self-harm could inform risk assessments, and might help clinicians to identify which adolescents are at greatest risk of attempting suicide in the future.FundingAmerican Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol National Health Service Foundation Trust, and the University of Bristol.

Project description:Substantial numbers of adolescents self-harm, but the majority of cases do not reach the attention of medical services, making community studies essential. The prevalence of suicidal thoughts and plans at this age, and the inter-relationships between suicidal thoughts, plans and self-harm remain largely unexplored.Cross-sectional analysis of self-reported questionnaire data collected from members of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort, England. Respondents (n?=?4810) were aged 16-17?years old and have been followed up since birth.Altogether 905 (18.8%) respondents had ever self-harmed. The prevalence of lifetime self-harm was higher in females (25.6%) than males (9.1%). The most commonly used method was self-cutting: this was used alone or in combination in 73.5% of episodes, compared to 10.0% who took overdoses alone or in combination with other methods. Of those who reported self-harm, 25.3% wanted to die during the most recent episode. Concurrent depression was associated with a greatly increased risk of self-harm (OR 5.43). Only 12.4% of participants sought medical help following their most recent episode of self-harm, although this figure was higher (30.1%) where self-harm was carried out with desire to die. Of the whole sample, 15.8% had ever thought of killing themselves, and 4.3% had ever made plans to kill themselves. Compared to those who had never self-harmed, those who had self-harmed but not wanted to die during the most recent episode were at increased risk of ever having had suicidal thoughts (37.6% compared to 7.8% ?2 =102.3, p?<?0.001) and ever making suicidal plans (8.7% compared to 0.7%, ?2 =166.9, p?<?0.001). As the frequency of self-harm increased, so did the risk of suicidal thoughts and plans.Self-harm and suicidal thoughts are common among 16/17?year olds. Although the majority of self-harm behaviour is not accompanied by a desire to die, all self-harm regardless of motivation is associated with increased risk of suicidal thoughts and plans, particularly when it is carried out repeatedly.

Project description:ObjectiveTo analyse the association between survival from critical illness and suicide or self-harm after hospital discharge.DesignPopulation based cohort study using linked and validated provincial databases.SettingOntario, Canada between January 2009 and December 2017 (inclusive).ParticipantsConsecutive adult intensive care unit (ICU) survivors (≥18 years) were included. Linked administrative databases were used to compare ICU hospital survivors with hospital survivors who never required ICU admission (non-ICU hospital survivors). Patients were categorised based on their index hospital admission (ICU or non-ICU) during the study period.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was the composite of death by suicide (as noted in provincial death records) and deliberate self-harm events after discharge. Each outcome was also assessed independently. Incidence of suicide was evaluated while accounting for competing risk of death from other causes. Analyses were conducted by using overlap propensity score weighted, cause specific Cox proportional hazard models.Results423 060 consecutive ICU survivors (mean age 61.7 years, 39% women) were identified. During the study period, the crude incidence (per 100 000 person years) of suicide, self-harm, and the composite of suicide or self-harm among ICU survivors was 41.4, 327.9, and 361.0, respectively, compared with 16.8, 177.3, and 191.6 in non-ICU hospital survivors. Analysis using weighted models showed that ICU survivors (v non-ICU hospital survivors) had a higher risk of suicide (adjusted hazards ratio 1.22, 95% confidence interval 1.11 to 1.33) and self-harm (1.15, 1.12 to 1.19). Among ICU survivors, several factors were associated with suicide or self-harm: previous depression or anxiety (5.69, 5.38 to 6.02), previous post-traumatic stress disorder (1.87, 1.64 to 2.13), invasive mechanical ventilation (1.45, 1.38 to 1.54), and renal replacement therapy (1.35, 1.17 to 1.56).ConclusionsSurvivors of critical illness have increased risk of suicide and self-harm, and these outcomes were associated with pre-existing psychiatric illness and receipt of invasive life support. Knowledge of these prognostic factors might allow for earlier intervention to potentially reduce this important public health problem.

Project description:ObjectivesA substantial reduction in self-harm recorded in primary care occurred during the first wave of COVID-19 but effects on primary care management of self-harm are unknown. Our objectives were to examine the impact of COVID-19 on clinical management within 3 months of an episode of self-harm.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingUK primary care.Participants4238 patients with an index episode of self-harm recorded in UK primary care during the COVID-19 first-wave period (10 March 2020-10 June 2020) compared with 48 739 patients in a prepandemic comparison period (10 March-10 June, 2010-2019).Outcome measuresUsing data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we compared cohorts of patients with an index self-harm episode recorded during the prepandemic period versus the COVID-19 first-wave period. Patients were followed up for 3 months to capture subsequent general practitioner (GP)/practice nurse consultation, referral to mental health services and psychotropic medication prescribing. We examined differences by gender, age group and Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile.ResultsLikelihood of having at least one GP/practice nurse consultation was broadly similar (83.2% vs 80.3% in the COVID-19 cohort). The proportion of patients referred to mental health services in the COVID-19 cohort (4.2%) was around two-thirds of that in the prepandemic cohort (6.1%). Similar proportions were prescribed psychotropic medication within 3 months in the prepandemic (54.0%) and COVID-19 first-wave (54.9%) cohorts.ConclusionsDespite the challenges experienced by primary healthcare teams during the initial COVID-19 wave, prescribing and consultation patterns following self-harm were broadly similar to prepandemic levels. We found no evidence of widening of digital exclusion in terms of access to remote consultations. However, the reduced likelihood of referral to mental health services warrants attention. Accessible outpatient and community services for people who have self-harmed are required as the COVID-19 crisis recedes and the population faces new challenges to mental health.