Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-p566r Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T08:32:59.742Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Repetition of Parasuicide: A Comparison of Three Cohorts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Dorothy Buglass
Affiliation:
University Department of Psychiatry, Morningside Park, Edinburgh, EH10 5HF
John Horton
Affiliation:
University of Washington School of Medicine

Extract

For some years we have monitored a steady increase in the rates for parasuicide (attempted suicide) in Edinburgh (Aitken et al., 1969; Kreitman, 1972). Some changes in the character of the group have been demonstrated; in particular, the proportion of young people admitted has increased. The proportion readmitted within 12 months has, however, remained constant at around 15 per cent. Identification of potential repeaters is dependent on the group possessing characteristics which remain consistent over time. In this paper the characteristics of both repeaters and non-repeaters are compared over a three-year period, and stable predictors of repetition are identified. An earlier study (Buglass and McCulloch, 1970) suggested that prediction of repetition was best considered separately for each sex. This question is reconsidered in the light of new data. Thirdly, the interaction between the type of disposal recommended after the parasuicidal episode and subsequent repetition is examined.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1974 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arrken, R. C. B., Buglass, D. & Kreitman, N. (1969) The changing pattern of attenpted suicide in Edinburg, 1962–1967. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23, 111–15.Google Scholar
Bagley, C. & Greer, S. (1971) Clinical and social predictors of repeated attempted suicide: a multivariate analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry, 119, 515–21.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buglass, D. & Horton, J. (1974) A scale for predicting subsequent suicidal behaviour. British Journal of Psychiatry, 124, 573–8.Google Scholar
Buglass, D. & McCulloch, J. W. (1970) Further suicidal behaviour: The development and validation of predictive scales. British Journal of Psychiatry, 116, 483–91.Google Scholar
Chowdhury, N., Hicks, R. & Kreitman, N. (1973) Evaluation of an after-care service for parasuicide (attempted suicide) patients. Social Psychiatry, 8, 6781.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cohen, E., Motto, J. & Seiden, R. H. (1966) An instrument for evaluating suicide potential: a preliminary study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 886–91.Google Scholar
Greer, S. & Bagley, C. (1971) Effect of psychiatric intervention in attempted suicide: A controlled study. British Medical Journal, i, 310–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greer, S. & Lee, H. A. (1967) Subsequent progress of potentially lethal attempted suicides. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 43, 361–71.Google Scholar
Kennedy, P. & Kreitman, N. (1973) An epidemiological survey of parasuicide (‘attempted suicide’) in general practice. British Journal of Psychiatry, 123, 2334.Google Scholar
Kessel, N. & McCulloch, W. (1966) Repeated acts of self-poisoning and self-injury. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine, 59, 8992.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kreitman, N. (1972) Aspects of the Epidemiology of Suicide and ‘Attempted Suicide’ (Parasuicide). Skandia International Symposia: Suicide and Attempted Suicide, pp. 4552. Stockholm: Nordiska Bokhandelns Förlag.Google Scholar
Kreitman, N., Smith, P. & Tan, E. (1969) Attempted suicide in social networks. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23, 116–23.Google Scholar
Matthew, H. & Lawson, A. A. H. (1966) Acute barbiturate poisoning—a review of the two years experience. Quarterly Journal of Medicine, 35, 539–52.Google Scholar
McCulloch, J. W. & Philip, A. E. (1972) Suicidal Behaviour. Oxford: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Rosen, D. (1973) The serious suicide attempt: A five year follow-up study of 886 patients. 7th International Congress on Suicide Prevention, Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Siegel, S. (1956) Nonparametric Statistics. McGraw Hill.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.