Self poisoning in the adolescent and adult population at the Georgetown Hospital, Guyana - abstract

The admissions registers of the Emergency Unit at the Public Hospital, Georgetown were reviewed for patients >10 years of age admitted for self poisoning between the 1 Jan. 1992 and 31 Dec. 1992. The ethnicity, gender, age group, prevalence and substance type was documented. There were 114 East Indians, 53 Africans and 1 Chinese admitted to the medical wards for self poisoning. All cases were parasucidal with rates of 55/10 (to the fifth power) and 57/10 (to the fifth power) for adults and adolescents, respectively. The ratio of East Indian:African attempters was 2:1 with a 1.5:1 ratio of East Indians:Africans in the population. There were 79 males and 89 females. In the 10-19 year age group 52 cases of self poisoning were admitted. In the 20-29 age group there were 61 cases. In the 30-39 age group 28 cases and in the 40-59 year age group 13 cases were admitted. The youngest was 12 yrs and the oldest 90 yrs of age. The majority of cases (141/168 or 84 percent) wer in the 10-39 year age group. An average of 14 cases was admitted per month. The commonest known substances ingested were organophosphates (58 cases), household substances (40), medicinal tablets (26), kerosene oil(25) and grammoxone (10). Preventive measures, including education, should be targetted to farmers and youths and young adults in the 10-29 year age group in whom self-poisoning is most common.(AU)

Desarrollo psicosocial de adolescentes, 16 a 19 años / Psychosocial development of adolescents, 16 to 19 years

Se describen características del desarrollo psicosocial en un grupo de 241 adolescentes, 123 varones y 118 mujeres, de 16 a 19 años, que participaron en un estudio de seguimiento longitudinal sobre crecimiento y desarrollo, en el área norte de Santiago, y que fueron previamente estudiados a la edad de 12 a 15 años. Se analizan características del desarrollo personal, relacionados interpersonales en el medio familiar, educacional y social, y sus relaciones con conductas socialmente desajustadas. Los adolescentes que presentaron un ajuste conductual más satisfactorio tuvieron imágenes positivas de sí mismo, de las figuras parentales y las instituciones en general; visiones de mundo realista o idealista, expresión emocional satisfactoria y relaciones interpersonales adecuadas en los diferentes ámbitos. Los aspectos negativos de estas variables se asociaron fuertemente con consumo de alcohol: embriaguez, uso de drogas, hurtos, mentiras frecuentes, manifestaciones depresivas y otras conductas. La mantención de la mayoría de los factores de riesgo de la etapa etaria de 12 a 15 años, junto con la mayor frecuencia de conductas socialmente desajustadas en la adolescencia tardía, plantea la necesidad de elaborar medidas preventivas y correctivas en las etapas prepuberal y puberal

Suicídio e tentativas de suicídio: características epidemiológicas no Município de Belo Horizonte Brasil, 1971-1981 / Suicide and attempt suicide: epidemiological characteristics in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, from 1971 to 1981

Estudo retrospectivo descritivo dos suicídios e tentativas de suicídio no município de Belo Horizonte, no período 1971-81, baseado em dados oficiais. Analisa-se a evoluçäo de algumas características epidemiológicas ligadas a populaçäo e ao tempo

The role of the otolaryngologist in managing suicidal adolescents.

From 1978 to 1987, 18 suicidal children were cared for by the otolaryngology service at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. The evaluation and treatment of these patients are reviewed, and factors resulting in these self-destructive acts discussed. Pertinent risk factors and warning signals that may enhance the otolaryngologist's ability to make the diagnosis of attempted suicide and avert potential further harm are also presented.

Attempted suicide in Hong Kong.

In 1986, psychiatrists saw a total of 307 attempted suicide cases presented to a regional general hospital in Hong Kong, whether admitted or not. Compared with suicide attempts in Hong Kong in 1954 and those in Western countries, suicide attempts in Hong Kong in 1986 were significantly more likely to be precipitated by interpersonal conflicts, and significantly less likely to be precipitated by economic stress. Compared with the methods of attempted suicide in Hong Kong in 1986, those in Hong Kong in 1954 were significantly more likely to be fatal, while those in Western countries are significantly more likely to be ingestion of hyponotics and sedatives. Suicide attempters in Hong Kong are significantly more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenics or paranoid psychotics than those in Western countries.

Age-specific characteristics of attempted suicide in adolescence.

A total of 422 suicide attempts of adolescents (15 to 19 years of age) were investigated and compared with 327 suicide attempts of young adults. Adolescents had more serious social problems than young adults. Their adaptive problems became worse while growing older until the age of 20. Adolescents made suicide attempts with serious intent more often than young adults, but their suicide attempts were not as often lethal as in young adults. Although repeated suicide attempts were relatively common in both groups, only 10 people were part of both materials. Adolescents were as often psychotic when attempting suicide as young adults were. Twenty-four percent of adolescents and 26% of young adults were admitted to a psychiatric hospital as treatment.

A diagnostic outcome study of children and adolescents with severe burns.

The results of a diagnostic outcome study of children and adolescents with severe burns are presented. The positive research findings include evidence of present and lifetime full and partial anxiety and depressive disorders and statistically significant within-sample, burn-related, and demographic differences. The negative findings are less depression and post-traumatic stress disorder by DSM-III criteria than expected, the presence of a subgroup of severely burned children who appeared to be functioning well with only a few or no diagnoses, and absence of significant differences on many variables on within-group comparisons. Based on these data, periodic psychiatric evaluation or reevaluation and specifically targeted followup treatment are indicated for many burned children, adolescents, and their families.

Suicidal attempts by ingestion of various substances in 2050 children and adolescents in Greece.

This study investigates suicidal attempts by ingestion of drugs or other chemicals in 2050 children and adolescents (312 boys and 1738 girls) under seventeen years of age as seen over a six year period, 1977-1982, at the Poison Control Center, "P.A. Kyriakou" Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. Demographic, clinical, psychosocial and cultural data were presented and discussed. It is the authors' opinion that more attention should be paid to the increased incidence of suicidal attempts in younger persons and therefore the urgent need for early recognition and prevention of this event is necessary. This is the first broad study of its kind in Greece which reflects a segment of the psycho-biosocial developments in this country.

Suicidal behavior in adolescents and young adults: the international picture.

This chapter has reviewed the scope of suicide and attempted suicide among the young from an international perspective. Socio-demographic trends have been analyzed and explanatory theories for international differences proposed. An international strategy for prevention is discussed and specific recommendations are presented. Efforts are to be made to translate international strategies to prevent youth suicide into community, clinical, and research programs that can be effectively implemented around the world.

Motivation in deliberate self-harm.

Fifty adult patients presenting with deliberate self-harm at the Royal Victoria Hospital were given a choice of nine reasons for their actions. Most chose more than one reason and all but two of the 24 who said that they wished to die chose at least one other motive. There were no trends with respect to sex, past history, or method of deliberate self-harm. These results illustrate the complexity of this condition and show the importance of investigating motives beyond simply the intent to die.

[The suicidal patient. 1. Occurrence and relevance of contact with a general practitioner prior to the suicidal actions]. / Den suicidale patient. 1. Hyppighed og relevans af kontakten til praktiserende laeger forud for suicidale handlinger.

A multipractice investigation was undertaken concerning suicidal behaviour. Sixty-six patients committed suicide and 227 attempted suicide. During the month prior to the suicidal actions, 2/3 of the patients had had contact with their general practitioners. Only very few had been in contact with a psychiatric department or with a practising psychiatrist during the same period. In a few cases, the general practitioner found that the most recent consultation was relevant in cases of patients who committed suicide. 28% of the patients who committed suicide and also were seen by their general practitioners within the last month suffered from serious somatic disease. Where the cases of attempted suicide were concerned, the general practitioners considered that 40% of the most recent consultations were relevant. In order to improve attention to suicidal signals, other forms of cooperation between the primary sector and hospitals, eg in the form of district psychiatric teams, are suggested.