Characteristics Of Suicidal Behavior And Risk Factors Of Patients With Attempted Suicide At Emergency Room Of A Large General Hospital

Objective:To explore the characteristics and risk factors of patients with attempted suicide at emergency room of a large general hospital in Changsha, and it also provides a scientific reference for psychological intervention and treatment of suicide attempters and related research.Methods:The homemade questionnaire " questionnaire of mental health and dangerous accidents " was carried out to the case groups(suicide attempters) and the control groups(patients in the emergency department met the inclusion criteria were randomly selected by1:1) at emergency room of a large general hospital in Changsha from January1,2012to December31,2012.3nurses received professional training in psychology emergency conducted the questionnaire survey The contents of the investigation included the case groups and the control groups’age, gender, occupation, education level, marital status, income level, health status, mental illness, whether storage of pesticides, family history of suicide, social support, life events and suicidal ideation, and so on. After the questionnaires, made a psychiatric diagnosis based on the information collected in the interviews by experienced psychiatrists according to DSM-Ⅳ Axis I diagnostic criteria for each object.Results:Among56suicide attempters, the male to female ratio of1:1.82, mean age (35.43±14.14) years, mean years of schooling (8.70±2.42) years;73.2%of patients with the suicidal method of drinking pesticide or drinking other poison (41/56), two groups of men and women were no significant difference (P>0.05);The suicide season was mostly the spring and summer season; The suicide time was mostly during the day;76.8%of suicide attempters chose in their own homes (43/55), two groups of men and women were of significant difference (P=0.029);10.7%of suicide attempters had a history of suicide(6/56), two groups of men and women were no significant difference (P>0.05);12.5%of suicide attempters met the DSM-IV Axis I diagnostic criteria, followed by depression (4/56,7.1%), schizophrenia (2/56,3.6%), alcohol ang drug addiction (1/56,1.8%);37.7%(20/53) of patients’committed suicide scene was present (referring to face-to-face),20.8%near the scene of someone or visible, audible,(11/53);66.0%of the patients did not take any precautions (35/53);64.2%of patients did not contact with someone who may help themselves or to inform suicide attempts (34/53);85.5%of patients have no funeral arrangements (47/55);94.5%of suicide attempters did not stay last words (52/55).Single factor conditional logistic regression analysis showed that factors of statistically significant difference and their odds ratio were: education level (OR=0.105,95%CI:0.024-0.452), living alone (OR=3.750,95%CI:1.245-11.299), marital status (OR=3.000,95%CI:1.191-7.558), social relations status (OR=4.800,95%CI:1.831-12.580), the suicidal intent strength (OR=15.310,95%CI:2.906-80.672), negative life events (OR=1863.945,95%CI:12.037-88623.784), social support (OR=0.015,95%CI:0.001-0.195). Multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that no stable marriage (OR=6.302,,95%CI:1.137-34.940), living alone (OR=8.766,95%CI:1.039-73.962) were the risk factors of attempted suicide, social support (OR=0.080,95%CI:0.008-0.804) was the protective factor of suicide attempts.Conclusion:More women than men of the suicide attempters at the emergency room of the large general hospital in Changsha city, and the suicidal method are mostly of drinking pesticide or drinking other poison; the location of suicide are mostly at their own homes.Social support is a strong protective factors for suicide attempts,and no stable marriage and living alone are risk factors for suicide attempts.