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Deliberate self‐poisoning and self‐injury in the psychiatric hospital
Author(s) -
Hawton Keith
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
british journal of medical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.102
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 2044-8341
pISSN - 0007-1129
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8341.1978.tb02470.x
Subject(s) - psychology , psychiatry , poison control , injury prevention , suicide prevention , self poisoning , occupational safety and health , human factors and ergonomics , medical emergency , medicine , pathology
Acts of self‐poisoning and self‐injury carried out by in‐patients and day patients while in treatment at two psychiatric hospitals were recorded over a one‐year period. Comparison with results from a survey based on referrals to a general hospital in the same area demonstrated that the rate at which these events occurred was over 50 times greater for patients in psychiatric care than in the general population. A larger proportion of the psychiatric hospital incidents involved self‐injury. Analysis of the records of a consecutive series of all psychiatric hospital patients revealed that at least one‐third had a previous history of self‐poisoning or self‐injury. Of the patients carrying out such acts in one hospital, 77 per cent had a history of this behaviour prior to admission. Clusters of incidents were identified. Possible factors underlying this behaviour in the hospital setting and means of prevention are suggested.