Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 10, 2025
08:05
A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
9.9K
Predictors of Recurrent Intentional Self-Poisoning
Ilana S Lavina1, Skyler Hammond2, Rachel H F Margolis1
1Children's National Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia.
Pediatrics
|August 21, 2025
Summary
Intentional self-poisoning is a significant risk for youth suicide attempts. This study found that a history of psychiatric diagnosis, sexual abuse, or self-injurious behavior increases the risk of recurrent poisoning in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Adolescent Psychiatry
- Toxicology
Background:
- Intentional self-poisoning is the leading method for suicide attempts among youth, with increasing incidence and high morbidity risks.
- Pediatric emergency departments (EDs) frequently encounter cases of intentional self-poisoning in young individuals.
- Understanding recurrence factors is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe emergency department (ED) encounters for intentional self-poisoning in pediatric patients.
- To identify demographic and clinical factors associated with recurrent self-poisoning episodes in youth.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients aged 6-17 presenting to a pediatric ED.
- Data collected from March 2020 to March 2023, including reason-for-visit and billing codes for ingestion, overdose, or suicide attempts.
- Multivariable logistic regression used to identify factors associated with recurrence.
Main Results:
- 535 unique patient encounters were analyzed.
- 12.7% of patients had prior visits for self-poisoning.
- Factors associated with recurrence included existing psychiatric diagnosis (aOR 17.03), history of sexual abuse (aOR 1.96), and history of self-injurious behavior (aOR 3.00).
Conclusions:
- Intentional self-poisoning in youth leads to significant morbidity, with nearly half requiring medical intervention and a quarter requiring inpatient admission.
- Recurrent self-poisoning visits occurred in 1 in 8 patients, highlighting a need for targeted interventions.
- Identifying specific risk factors can inform the development of prevention programs for recurrent intentional self-poisoning in adolescents.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Prevention of Further Absorption of Poison
925
In cases of acute poisoning, the primary objective is to prevent further absorption of the toxic substance into the body. Immediate interventions using various decontamination techniques targeting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract can achieve this. Decontamination is crucial to prevent poison from entering the systemic circulation, which involves washing affected areas with water and mild soap and removing contaminated clothing. Once external decontamination is done, attention must be turned to...
925
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
40.2K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
40.2K
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
185
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
185
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
194
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
194
01:36Types of Toxins
2.0K
Humans continually engage with an environment rich in potentially harmful chemicals. These are introduced to our bodies through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. These chemicals exist in various forms, such as air and environmental pollutants, agricultural chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals.
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
Air pollutants, primarily gases, pose significant threats to respiratory health, leading to conditions like hypoxia, lung cancer, and in extreme cases, death.
Environmental pollutants like...
2.0K
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.4K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.4K