Year: 2001 Source: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, v.36, no.9, (September 2001), p.437-443 SIEC No: 20020850

Rates of deliberate self-harm (DSH) in the UK are much higher in lower than upper social class groups. Data on social class were available for 2,828 DSH patients. In both genders, lower social class group tended to be associated with younger age. In males, the main social class differences were found in under-35-year-olds, in whom lower social class was related to criminal record, violence to others & drug misuse. In females, psychiatric disorders were diagnosed more frequently in the higher social class groups, but only in the under-35 age group. In neither gender was there a significant association between social class & the frequency of offer of psychiatric aftercare following DSH. (20 refs)