Deliberate Self-Harm in Oxford, 1990-2000: a Time of Change in Patient Characteristics

The authors investigated trends in deliberate self-harm (DSH) in Oxford between 1990 & 2000. They found that the annual number of persons & episodes of DSH increased overall by 36.3% & 63.1% respectively. They noted a rise in DSH rates in males aged 55 years & over, & in females overall, & those aged 15-24 years & 35-54 years in particular. They also found that repetition in DSH increased markedly during the study period, & antidepressant overdoses, especially of SSRIs, increased substantially. (24 refs)