Postcards From the EDge: 24-Month Outcomes of a Randomised Controlled Trial for Hospital-Treated Self-Poisoning

The aim of this study was to report the 24-month outcomes of a non-obligatory postcard intervention (plus treatment as usual) compared with treatment as usual. In a randomised-controlled trial (Zelen design) conducted in Newcastle, Australia, 8 postcards were sent to participants over a 12-month period. No significant reduction was observed in the proportion of people repeating self-poisoning in the intervention group compared with the control group; the difference between groups was -1.7%. There was a significant reduction in the rate of repetition, with an incidence risk ratio of 0.49. (27 refs)