Air Rescue Missions for Suicide: A Retrospective Analysis of a 12-Year Period From a German Rescue Helicopter Base

Area of Science:

• Emergency Medicine
• Public Health
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) primarily respond to medical emergencies.
• A small but significant number of HEMS calls involve suicide or attempted suicide.
• Understanding these specific circumstances is crucial for improving prehospital care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and evaluate the circumstances of suicide-related emergencies attended by HEMS.
• To identify factors influencing outcomes in prehospital suicide incidents.
• To inform future prevention and response strategies.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 17,754 HEMS interventions in Dresden, Germany (2008-2020).
• Data extracted from rescue protocols and electronic records (MEDAT, HEMSDER).
• Focus on suicide-related variables: time, methods, reasons, demographics, and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

• 277 cases (1.56%) were suicide-related.
• Overall mortality rate was 18.77%.
• Common methods included overdose (49.39%), leaping from height (20%), and hanging (15.51%).
• Health problems and relationship issues were cited as primary reasons in 19.57% and 12.68% of cases, respectively.
• Method, sex, and presence of a suicide note influenced fatal outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Suicide-related HEMS missions have a high mortality rate (18%) despite their low frequency.
• Identified factors require further investigation to understand underlying causes.
• There is a need for enhanced research, prevention efforts, and training for emergency response teams.