Treatment provided for Danish adolescents who attempt suicide

After a suicide attempt, adolescents should ideally receive psychosocial assessment and aftercare. We investigated the proportion of girls and boys receiving mental health treatment and social interventions within the first weeks and one year after a suicide attempt.

This study included a national cohort of children born in Denmark in 1996-2003 who had a hospital-recorded suicide attempt before age 18 years (N = 3650). We also had information on self-reported suicide attempts without hospital presentation on those participating in the 18-year follow-up of the Danish National Birth Cohort (N = 1489). Examined treatment included: (i) psychiatric in- or outpatient contact, (ii) psychotropic medication, (iii) primary care mental health-related contact, and (iv) social interventions. Further, factors associated with not receiving treatment were examined in regression analyses.

Two weeks after a hospital-recorded suicide attempt, 55% of girls and 58% of boys had received in- or outpatient treatment at a psychiatric hospital. After one year, 13% of girls and 16% of boys had not received any type of treatment. Younger age at first suicide attempt, no previous psychiatric contact and lower parental education were associated with not receiving treatment. The proportion receiving treatment was lower among adolescents with self-reported suicide attempts compared to adolescents with hospital-recorded attempts.

Efforts should focus on ensuring that adolescents receive psychosocial care after a suicide attempt, particularly younger adolescents and those without previous experiences in the psychiatric system, as well as those who do not present to a hospital with their suicide attempts.