Effect of General Hospital Management on Repeat Episodes of Deliberate Self Poisoning: Cohort Study

This study investigated whether aspects of routine hospital management – such as admission, psychosocial assessment, & referral for follow up – had an impact on the repetition of deliberate self-poisoning. 604 people from 6 British hospitals were scrutinized. Results indicate that patients who had received a psychosocial assessment after deliberately poisoning themselves were half as likely poison themselves again as those who did not. This finding is interpreted as suggesting better aftercare following assessment. (5 refs) (SC)