Suicidal behaviour: emergency department attendance for suicidal recurrence and other psychiatric or medical reasons in the 6 months following the index episode.

The prevention of a complex phenomenon, such as suicide, requires an interdisciplinary approach that provides a comprehensive response to the care needs of people with suicidal behavior (SB). The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and healthcare features of people presenting thoughts and/or attempts of suicide to define risk factors for recurrence.

Conducta Suicida: frecuentación en elservicio de urgencias por recurrenciasuicida y otros motivos psiquiátricos omédicos en los 6 meses posteriores alepisodio índice / Suicidal Behaviour: frequentation in the emergency emergency department for suicidal recurrence suicidal recurrence and other psychiatric or medical medical reasons in the 6 months after the index episode

Introducción: El suicidio es un fenómeno complejo cuyaprevención requiere un abordaje interdisciplinar que proporcione respuesta integral a las necesidades asistenciales de laspersonas con conductas suicidas (CS). El objetivo de este estudio es investigar las características clínicas y asistencialesde las personas que presentan ideas y/o tentativas de suicidiopara definir factores de riesgo de recurrencia.Método. Se ha llevado a cabo un estudio de cohorte conseguimiento de 6 meses. La cohorte está constituida por laspersonas atendidas en el servicio de urgencias del HospitalUniversitario Marqués de Valdecilla (Santander) por ideas y/otentativas de suicidio, durante un periodo de reclutamientode 4 meses: 1-marzo a 30-junio 2015. Se recogen variablessociodemográficas y clínicas en el episodio índice y las visitasal servicio de urgencias durante los siguientes 6 meses.Resultados. 143 pacientes valorados por CS, informacióndisponible para seguimiento en 110 (edad media 43,31 años;rango 16-84; 65% mujeres). Hubo 21% de recurrencia de CS:10% tentativas, 6% ideación, 5% ambas; 1 (0,7%) suicidio;con mayor frecuencia entre 30-65 años y con enfermedadmental. Durante el seguimiento el 60% consultó repetidamente no solo por CS sino también por otros motivos psiquiátricos o médicos, independientemente del seguimientoen salud mental.Conclusiones. La recurrencia de CS es frecuente a pesar deestar en seguimiento en el servicio de salud mental. Además,las personas con CS consultan frecuente y reiteradamente enurgencias por otros motivos psiquiátricos y médicos, lo quesugiere que el abordaje convencional de la comorbilidad conla CS resulta insuficiente. (AU)

Introduction: The prevention of a complex phenomenon, such as suicide, requires an interdisciplinary approachthat provides a comprehensive response to the care needs ofpeople with suicidal behavior (SB). The aim of this study isto investigate the clinical and healthcare features of peoplepresenting thoughts and/or attempts of suicide to define riskfactors for recurrence.Methods. A cohort study was carried out with a 6-monthfollow-up. The cohort consisted of persons admitted to theemergency department of the Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla (Santander) presenting thoughts and/orattempts of suicide, throughout a 4-month recruitment period: 1-March to 30-June 2015. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were collected in the index episode and visits tothe emergency department during the following 6 months.Results. 143 patients were assessed by SB, and it waspossible to collect information on recurrence in 110 (averageage of 43.31; range 16-84; 65% women). Twenty-one percent presented recurrence of SB: 10% attempted, 6% thoughts, and 5% both; 1 (0.7%) committed suicide; most frequently with age 30-65 years and with a history of mentalillness. During follow-up, 60% consulted repeatedly in theemergency department not only for SB but also for otherpsychiatric or medical reasons, independently of follow-upin the mental health service.Conclusions. Recurrence of SB is common despite beingfollowed up in the mental health service. In addition, peoplewith SB frequently and repeatedly consult the emergencydepartment for other psychiatric and medical reasons, suggesting that the conventional approach to comorbidity withSB is insufficient. Further studies are needed to define riskprofiles and design specific interdisciplinary strategies for SBmanagement and suicide prevention, avoiding fragmentation. This will contribute more efficiently to early identification, appropriate management and prevention of suiciderecurrences and deaths. (AU)

STEPPS for Borderline Personality Disorder: A Pragmatic Trial and Naturalistic Comparison With Noncompleters.

Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving (STEPPS) is a group psychotherapy approach that is effective for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) in a public health care setting. The sample in this study comprised 118 outpatients with BPD who were asked to participate in a Spanish-adapted version of STEPPS for 18 months, a psychotherapy program that could be added to their usual psychiatric intervention. They were divided into an experimental group who participated in STEPPS, and a control group, who received treatment as usual. Several variables were collected and the Borderline Evaluation of Severity Over Time (BEST) scale was administered at pretest, Months 3 and 6, posttest (Month 18), and 2-year follow-up (Month 42), after which a post hoc data analysis was carried out. The STEPPS program improved the as-usual treatment provided previously, and the results were cost-effective. A higher educational level and good patient collaboration predicted better outcome.

Recurrence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors during one year of follow-up: An exploratory study.

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) include suicidal ideation (SI), suicide attempt (SA) and completed suicide. We aimed to identify recurrence predictors of any type of STB, and separately for SA and SI, and to analyze the time until event. A 108-subject cohort presenting at Emergencies with STB was followed during one year. Recurrence risk factors were investigated by multiple Cox survival regressions. Within one year, 31.5%, 23.1% and 9.3% patients recurred with any STB, SA, and SI respectively. Most recurrences (~70%) occurred within the first 6 months. Seeking emergency psychiatric assistance for problems other than STB during follow-up was a common predictor for recurrence of any STB, and SA and SI specifically. Previous SA history and contact with psychiatry outpatient units during follow-up predicted both STB in general and SA in particular. A specific predictor for SA was hospitalization at index, while SI recurrence was associated to SI at index. These results highlight the importance of early intervention and multidisciplinary follow-up considering concurrent psychosocial or adaptive problems. A careful exploration at Emergencies is needed to target potential predictors.