Premium
Contact with Mental Health Services After Acute Care for Self‐Harm Among Adults Released from Prison: A Prospective Data Linkage Study
Author(s) -
Young Jesse T.,
Borschmann Rohan,
Heffernan Ed,
Spittal Matthew J.,
Brophy Lisa,
Ogloff James R. P.,
Moran Paul,
Armstrong Gregory,
Preen David B.,
Kinner Stuart A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/sltb.12639
Subject(s) - medicine , mental health , poisson regression , relative risk , health care , emergency department , psychiatry , population , confidence interval , environmental health , economics , economic growth
Objective To determine the care pathway and rate and predictors of mental health care contact within seven days of discharge from acute care following self‐harm. Method In a representative cohort of adults released from prisons in Queensland, Australia, we probabilistically linked person‐level, statewide ambulance, emergency department, and hospital records, both prospectively and retrospectively, and community mental health service and Medicare records prospectively, to baseline survey data. We fit multivariate modified log‐linked Poisson regression models to examine the association between sociodemographic, health, and criminal justice factors and mental health care contact after self‐harm. Results Of 217 discharges from acute care following self‐harm, 55% ( n = 119) received mental health care within seven days of discharge. Mental health care contact was associated with substance use disorder (adjusted relative risk (ARR) = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.27–0.85), dual diagnosis (ARR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.41–0.82), physical health‐related functioning (ARR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97–0.99), being female (ARR = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.02–1.90), being identified as at risk of self‐harm by correctional authorities (ARR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.07–2.09), and prior engagement with state‐funded mental health care (ARR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.08–2.22). Conclusion Our findings highlight the need to improve the integration of community mental health care for people who present to acute care following self‐harm with a recent history of incarceration, particularly for men and those with substance use disorder or dual diagnosis.