Non-fatal repetition of self-harm: population-based prospective cohort study in Taiwan

Repeated self-harm is relatively common and is linked with an elevated risk of eventual suicide. There has been no study of this involving a large sample from the Far East. To estimate the risk over the medium term of non-fatal repetition of self-harm and identify predictive factors in those carryin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of psychiatry 2010-01, Vol.196 (1), p.31-35
Main Authors: Chen, Vincent C. H., Tan, Happy K. L., Cheng, Andrew T. A., Chen, Chung-Ying, Liao, Long-Ren, Stewart, Robert, Dewey, Michael, Prince, Martin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Child
Cohort analysis
Demography
Earthquakes
Epidemiologic Methods
Female
Females
First year
Gender
Handbooks
High risk
Humans
Male
Males
Marital status
Mental health
Methods
Middle Aged
Poisoning
Population studies
Population-based studies
Prevention programs
Psychiatry
Repetition
Risk Factors
Secondary Prevention
Self destructive behavior
Self injury
Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology
Selfpoisoning
Suicide
Suicide - prevention & control
Suicides & suicide attempts
Survival analysis
Taiwan - epidemiology
Young Adult
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Summary:Repeated self-harm is relatively common and is linked with an elevated risk of eventual suicide. There has been no study of this involving a large sample from the Far East. To estimate the risk over the medium term of non-fatal repetition of self-harm and identify predictive factors in those carrying out self-harm. A total of 970 individuals who had self-harmed were recruited from a community-based suicide behaviour register system in Nantou, Taiwan from July 2000 to February 2003. Information regarding demography and suicide methods was collected. Individuals were followed-up until December 2005 to examine the risk of repeated self-harm and independent predictive factors. Ninety cohort members had repeated self-harm during the follow-up period (accounting for 131 repeated self-harm episodes in all). The cumulative risks were 5.7% for the first year, 7.8% for the second year and 9.5% for the fourth year. The risk was highest within the first year after the self-harm event. Independent risk factors included female gender and self-cutting as well as self-poisoning with drugs. Effect of younger age was mediated through the choice of methods. Individuals with self-harm have a high risk of repetition, especially within the first year. Suicide prevention strategies need to focus on intervening with this population to reduce their repetition.
ISSN:0007-1250
1472-1465
DOI:10.1192/bjp.bp.109.067009