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Table 3 Comparison between discharged and admitted post-suicide attempt patients

From: Characteristics of patients presenting post-suicide attempt to an Academic Medical Center Emergency Department in Lebanon

 

Discharged N = 32

Admitted N = 76

p value

Male no. (%)

6 (18.8)

26 (34.2)

0.11

Age no. (%)

 ≤ 21

4 (12.5)

24 (31.6)

0.06

 22–49

23 (71.9)

37 (48.7)

 ≥ 50

5 (15.6)

15 (19.7)

Employment status no. (%)a

 Employed

7 (29.2)

20 (29.0)

0.62

 Unemployed

12 (50.0)

28 (40.6)

 Student

5 (20.8)

21 (30.4)

Marital status no. (%)a

 Singleb

14 (48.3)

49 (64.5)

0.13

 Married

15 (51.7)

27 (35.5)

Residential status no. (%)a

 Family

28 (90.3)

65 (85.5)

0.75

 Otherc

3 (9.7)

11 (14.5)

Underlying psychiatric disease no. (%)

 None

9 (28.1)

16 (21.1)

0.76

 Schizophrenia

3 (9.4)

5 (6.6)

 Depression

19 (59.4)

51 (67.1)

 Otherd

1 (3.1)

4 (5.3)

Patient accompanied no. (%)a

 ED with family

23 (71.9)

57 (81.4)

0.45

 ED with friends

4 (12.5)

3 (4.3)

 ED with EMS

2 (6.3)

5 (7.1)

 Othere

3 (9.4)

5 (7.1)

Mechanism used no. (%)

 Over-the-counter drugs

11 (34.4)

18 (25.0)

0.32

 Acetaminophen

7 (21.9)

16 (21.1)

0.92

 Benzodiazepines

14 (43.8)

19 (25.0)

0.05

 Prescription medications

18 (56.3)

47 (63.5)

0.48

 Non-ingestible substances

2 (6.3)

4 (5.3)

1.00

 Self-laceration

4 (12.5)

7 (9.2)

0.73

 Otherf

1 (3.1)

6 (7.9)

0.67

Venue of attempt no. (%)a

 Home

28 (87.5)

72 (96.0)

0.19

 Otherg

4 (12.5)

3 (4.0)

Day of attempt no. (%)

 Week day

23 (71.9)

54 (71.1)

0.93

 Weekend

9 (28.1)

22 (28.9)

 

Concomitant alcohol abuse no. (%)

5 (15.6)

10 (13.5)

0.77

Concomitant drug abuse no. (%)

0 (0.0)

6 (8.1)

0.17

Previous attempt no. (%)

 At least one previous attempt

10 (31.1)

28 (36.8)

0.58

Time interval between two consecutive attempts no. (%)a

 Days

0 (0.0)

2 (8.7)

0.91

 Weeks

1 (12.5)

1 (4.3)

 Months

3 (37.5)

10 (43.5)

 Years

4 (50.0)

10 (43.5)

Insurance status no. (%)a

 Self

25 (78.1)

40 (59.7)

0.07

 Insuredh

7 (21.9)

27 (40.3)

Family barrier for ED admission no. (%)

17 (53.1)

2 (3.0)

< 0.0001a

Psychiatry consulted in the ED no. (%)

25 (80.6)

43 (64.2)

0.10

Admission area

 Critical care

–

18 (23.7)

NA

 Psychiatric ward

–

54 (71.1)

 Hospital floor

–

4 (5.3)

Death

 Yes

2 (6.2)

1 (1.3)

0.21

  1. EMS emergency medical services, ED Emergency Department
  2. a Variables with missing values
  3. b Single includes divorced patients and those in relationships (not married)
  4. c 12 patients lived alone and 2 were domestic workers
  5. d Included 2 with substance abuse disorder and 3 with general anxiety disorder
  6. e Includes 3 presenting with personal drivers, 3 with housekeepers, and 2 with strangers
  7. f 3 attempted jumping from a lethal height, 1 firearm suicide, 1 attempted drowning, and 2 from pesticide gas
  8. g 1 in a car, 1 at boyfriend’s house, 1 at sea, 1 at a hotel, and 3 at work (public building)
  9. h Though many of our patients were insured, some insurance companies do not cover psychiatric admissions. *p ≤ 0.05 considered significant