Suicide within five years of hospital-treated self-harm: A data linkage cohort study

Hospital-treated self-harm is a strong predictor of suicide and hospital contacts may include missed opportunities for suicide prevention. We conducted a data linkage study to identify factors associated with suicide in people treated in hospital for self-harm in Victoria, Australia.

We undertook a cohort study following 14,307 people treated in hospital for an episode of self-harm (i.e., either admitted or non-admitted ED presentations) over the period 2011 and 2012 and used data from the Victorian Suicide Register to identify suicides within 5 years. We estimated unadjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for suicide using survival analysis for each exposure variable and then computed adjusted HRs using a multivariate model that included all exposure variables.

Among females, the risk of suicide was higher in those aged 50-74 years (HR 1.78; Cl: 1.02, 3.10), residing in areas of least disadvantage (HR 2.58; Cl: 1.21, 5.50), who used hanging as a method of self-harm (HR 5.17; Cl: 1.86, 14.35) and with organic disorders (HR 6.71; Cl: 2.61, 17.23) or disorders of adult personality and behaviour (HR 2.10; Cl: 1.03, 4.27). In males, the risk of suicide was higher in those who used motor vehicle exhaust gas (MVEG) as a method of self-harm (HR 3.48; Cl: 1.73, 7.01), and with disorders due to psychoactive substance abuse (HR 1.75; Cl: 1.14, 2.67).

Although all patients should be routinely assessed for risk and needs following hospital-treated self-harm including appropriate follow-up care, people who use MVEG or hanging as methods of self-harm are obvious candidates for close follow-up.