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Cited by 419Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesHomicide, Infanticide, and Child AbuseInjury Epidemiology and Prevention

Self-harm in England: a tale of three cities: Multicentre study of self-harm

Hawton, Keith, Bergen, Helen, Casey, Deborah, Simkin, Sue, Palmer, Ben, Cooper, Jayne, Kapur, Nav, Horrocks, Judith +4 more·2007·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
DOI 10.1007/s00127-007-0199-7
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Abstract

Background Self-harm is a major healthcare problem in the United Kingdom, but monitoring of hospital presentations has largely been done separately in single centres. Multicentre monitoring of self-harm has been established as a result of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England.Method Data on self-harm presentations to general hospitals in Oxford (one hospital), Manchester (three hospitals) and Leeds (two hospitals), collected through monitoring systems in each centre, were analysed for the 18-month period March 2000 to August 2001.Results The findings were based on 7344 persons who presented following 10,498 episodes of self-harm. Gender and age patterns were similar in the three centres, 57.0% of patients being female and two-thirds (62.9%) under 35 years of age. The largest numbers by age groups were 15-19 year-old females and 20-24 year-old males. The female to male ratio decreased with age. Rates of self-harm were higher in Manchester than Oxford or Leeds, in keeping with local suicide rates. The proportion of patients receiving a specialist psychosocial assessment varied between centres and was strongly associated with admission to the general hospital. Approximately 80% of self-harm involved self-poisoning. Overdoses of paracetamol, the most frequent method, were more common in younger age groups, antidepressants in middle age groups, and benzodiazepines and sedatives in older age groups. Alcohol was involved in more than half (54.9%) of assessed episodes. The most common time of presentation to hospital was between 10 pm and 2 am.Conclusions Multicentre monitoring of self-harm in England has demonstrated similar overall patterns of self-harm in Oxford, Manchester and Leeds, with some differences reflecting local suicide rates. Diurnal variation in time of presentation to hospital and the need for assessment of non-admitted patients have implications for service provision.

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Authors
Hawton, K., Bergen, H., Casey, D., Simkin, S., Palmer, B., Cooper, J., Kapur, N., Horrocks, J., House, A., Lilley, R., Noble, R., & Owens, D.
Affiliations
  • Warneford Hospital (GB)
  • University of Manchester (GB)
  • University of Leeds (GB)
Corresponding author
Hawton, Keith
ORCID
Venue
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2007-05-21
Volume
42
Issue
7
Pages
513-521
ISSN
  • 0933-7954 (ISSN-L)
  • 1433-9285
DOI
10.1007/s00127-007-0199-7
OpenAlex
W1512725483
Cited by
419
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 53 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 61 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 20
FWCI
17.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Injury Epidemiology and Prevention
Keywords
self-harm, hospital presentations, self-poisoning, acetaminophen overdose, antidepressant overdose, benzodiazepine overdose, alcohol involvement, diurnal variation, psychosocial assessment, suicide rates, Oxford, Manchester, LEED
MeSH terms
Acetaminophen, Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Antidepressive Agents, Data Collection, Emergency Service, Hospital, England, Female, Humans, Hypnotics and Sedatives, Male, Psychiatric Department, Hospital, Socioeconomic Factors, Suicide, Attempted, Time, Self-Injurious Behavior, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Analgesics, Non-Narcotic, Drug Overdose

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