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Patterns of consultation and parasuicide
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
|August 22, 1987
Summary
Patients who survive parasuicide (self-harm without lethal intent) show increased general practitioner attendance patterns before an attempt. Frequent attendance may signal elevated risk for future self-harm behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- General Practice
- Public Health
Background:
- Parasuicide is a significant public health concern.
- Effective prevention strategies rely on accurate identification of at-risk individuals.
- Understanding patient behaviors preceding parasuicidal events is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify behavioral markers in general practitioner consultations that may indicate a risk for parasuicide.
- To compare consultation patterns and prescription data between individuals who have survived parasuicide and matched controls.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective comparison of general practitioner consultation rates and prescription data.
- Inclusion of patients who survived parasuicide and age/sex-matched control individuals.
- Analysis of attendance patterns relative to the time of the parasuicidal attempt.
Main Results:
- Patients surviving parasuicide exhibited significantly higher consultation frequencies compared to controls.
- A distinct pattern of accelerated then decelerated attendance was observed in the parasuicide group, absent in controls.
- Prescription rates per visit remained consistent across both groups, indicating consultation frequency, not intensity, as the key differentiator.
Conclusions:
- Increased general practitioner attendance, particularly with a specific acceleration-deceleration pattern, is a potential indicator of parasuicide risk.
- General practitioners should consider heightened patient attendance as a signal for increased risk of parasuicide.
- This finding can inform clinical practice for proactive risk assessment and intervention in primary care settings.