Effect of Brief Admission to Hospital by Self-referral for Individuals Who Self-harm and Are at Risk of Suicide

Key Points Question Is self-referred brief admission more effective than treatment as usual in reducing the use of inpatient services for individuals who self-harm and are at risk of suicide? Findings In this randomized clinical trial of 125 adults in Sweden, the brief admission group did not show reduced inpatient service use compared with the control group. Both groups showed significant decreases in days admitted to the hospital and in emergency department visits, but only the brief admission group showed a significant decrease in duration of compulsory admission. Meaning Brief admission does not seem to be more effective than treatment as usual in reducing the use of inpatient services.