Risk factors for repetition of a deliberate self-harm episode within seven days in adolescents and young adults: A population-level record linkage study in Western Australia

Artikel

Objective: The risk of repetition of deliberate self-harm peaks in the first 7 days after a deliberate self-harm episode. However, thus far no studies have examined the risk factors for repeating deliberate self-harm during this short-term period. We aimed to investigate the effects of socio-demographic factors, self-harm method and mental health factors in adolescents (10–19  years old) and young adults (20–29  years old). Methods: We used data linkage of population-wide administrative records from hospital inpatients and emergency departments to identify all the deliberate self-harm–related episodes that occurred in adolescents and young adults in Western Australia from 2000 to 2011. Logistic regression with generalised estimating equations was used for the analyses. Results: The incidence of repeating deliberate self-harm within the first 7 days after an index episode was 6% (403/6,768) in adolescents and 8% (842/10,198) in young adults. Socio-demographic risk factors included female gender and socioeconomic disadvantage. Compared with non-poisoning, self-poisoning predicted increased risk of having a repeated deliberate self-harm episode in males, but not in females. Borderline personality, impulse-control and substance use disorders diagnosed within one week before and one week after an index deliberate self-harm episode conferred the highest risk, followed by depressive and anxiety disorders. Having a preceding deliberate self-harm episode up to 7 days before an index episode was a strong predictor for the future repetition of a deliberate self-harm episode. Conclusion: Having a repeated deliberate self-harm episode within the first 7 days was related to a wide range of factors present at an index deliberate self-harm episode including socio-demographic characteristics, deliberate self-harm method and co-existing psychiatric conditions. These factors can inform risk assessments tailored to adolescents and young adults respectively to reduce the repetition of deliberate self-harm within a short but critical period, potentially contributing to reduce the repetition of deliberate self-harm in the long term.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Journal: Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry ; ISSN: 1440-1614 ; Volume: 50 ; Year: 2016 ; Issue: 2 ; Pages: 154-166 ; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft
• Subject: deliberate self-harm ; repeated episode ; adolescent and young adult ; data linkage ; administrative record

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Hu, Nan ; Glauert, Rebecca A. ; Li, Jianghong ; Taylor, Catherine L.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Sage
• (where): Thousand Oaks, CA
• (when): 2016

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.1177/0004867415621391
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/171932
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET