Thematic Analysis of Medical Notes Offers Preliminary Insight into Precipitants for Asian Suicide Attempters: An Exploratory Study

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2018-04, Vol.15 (4), p.809
• Main Authors: Choo, Carol C, Ho, Roger C, Burton, André A D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Child; Datasets; Emergency medical services; Environmental law; Environmental stress; Female; Females; Hospitals; Humans; Male; Medical Records; Medical research; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Middle Aged; Pain; Qualitative research; Researchers; Risk Assessment - methods; Risk Factors; Self destructive behavior; Singapore; Stress; Studies; Suicide; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; Suicides & suicide attempts; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15040809

One important dynamic risk factor for suicide assessment includes suicide precipitant. This exploratory study used a qualitative paradigm to look into the themes surrounding precipitants for suicide attempts in Singapore. Medical records related to suicide attempters who were admitted to the emergency department of a large teaching hospital in Singapore over a three year period were subjected to analysis. A total of 666 cases were examined (69.2% females; 63.8% Chinese, 15% Malays, 15.8% Indians), ages ranged from 10 years old to 85 years old (Mean = 29.7, Standard Deviation = 16.1). The thematic analysis process that was applied to the textual data elicited key concepts labelled as Relationship issues, Financial strain, Socio-legal-academic-environmental stress, and Physical and mental illness and pain. Interpreted with other recent local research on suicide attempters in Singapore, the findings have implications for informing suicide interventions.