Year: 2007 Source: Social Science and Medicine, v.65, (2007), p.855-867 SIEC No: 20081296

This study examined patterns of non-fatal deliberate self-harm during Christmas & New Year (December 16-January 6) by specific patient & demographic group. The sample comprised 19,346 people who presented with 31,369 episodes of deliberate self-harm to a general hospital emergency department in Oxford, England. Autoregression analysis of all episodes from 1976-2003 (controlling for day of the week, month, & year) revealed significant reductions compared with expected numbers on each day from December 10-26 (except the 23rd), though no significant increase was found on any of the subsequent 11 days. There was no significant variation in the occurrence of deliberate self-harm for patients groups with either low/medium or high suicide intent. (37 refs.)