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Admission of self‐poisoned patients during one year at the Poisoning Treatment Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
Author(s) -
Welcher B.,
Rubin P.,
Nordentoff M.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1993.tb05372.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pediatrics , poison control , suicide attempt , psychiatry , population , suicide prevention , injury prevention , emergency medicine , environmental health
The study comprises 541 patients admitted to the Poisoning Treatment Centre at Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen; 440 of the patients were psychiatrically evaluated prospectively. The sex distribution was almost equal. In comparison with the normal population there was an overrepresentation of the age groups of 30‐49 years old and of 18‐19 years old. Only 20% were employed. Sixty‐nine percent of the males and 40% of the females were living alone. Forty‐six percent of the patients had some sort of abuse. Twenty‐one percent suffered from psychotic disorder. Forty‐eight percent had at least once before attempted suicide. The group was found to be at high risk of repeating suicide attempt according to a scale developed in the poisoning treatment centre in Edinburgh. The treatment of suicidal patients is discussed.