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Table 2 Clinical variables: comparison between patients with first versus multiple episodes of SH (N = 1730)

From: Patients with first versus multiple episodes of self-harm: how do their profiles differ?

 

Patients with first episode N = 764 (44.2%)

Patients with multiple episodes N = 966 (55.8%)

Statistics

P-value

Diagnostic, % (N)

  

Fisher’s exact test

 < .001

Dementia F0

0.0 (0)

0.8 (7)

  

Alcohol use F10

5.8 (40)

4.8 (44)

  

Substance use F11–F19

2.3 (16)

1.8 (17)

  

Schizophrenia F2

3.9 (27)

7.8 (72)

  

Bipolar disorders F3-M

1.6 (11)

2.4 (22)

  

Depression F3-D

34.0 (236)

32.7 (301)

  

Anxiety/stress-related disorders F4

39.7 (276)

17.3 (159)

  

Behavioral syndromes assoc. w. physiological disturbances F7-F9

1.6 (11)

2.1 (19)

  

Personality disorder F6

11.2 (78)

30.4 (280)

  

Physical pain, % (N)

20.1 (145)

25.6 (223)

χ2(1) = 6.705

.010

Disabling physical illness, % (N)

13.8 (97)

17.7 (150)

χ2(1) = 4.206

.040

Method of self-harm, % (N)

  

Fisher’s exact test

.065

Self-poisoning (medication)

59.1 (450)

59.2 (571)

  

Self-poisoning (other substance)

4.6 (35)

3.2 (31)

  

Cutting

12.3 (94)

14.0 (135)

  

Firearm

0.3 (2)

0.2 (2)

  

Jumping from a height

7.7 (59)

6.0 (58)

  

Hanging or asphyxiation

6.4 (49)

7.3 (70)

  

Drowning

2.0 (15)

0.8 (8)

  

Jumping/lying in front of a moving object

2.2 (17)

2.8 (27)

  

Multiple methods

2.5 (19)

3.9 (38)

  

Other

0.3 (2)

0.5 (5)

  

Burning and immolation

1.3 (10)

0.7 (7)

  

Physical auto-aggressiveness

1.2 (9)

0.6 (6)

  

Ingestion of a foreign object

0.1 (1)

0.7 (7)

  

Location at the time of the self-harm episode, % (N)

  

χ2(5) = 16.512

.006

Home

74.6 (565)

71.5 (686)

  

Workplace/school

1.6 (12)

0.5 (5)

  

Medical/social institution, prison

7.4 (56)

10.8 (104)

  

Public space

9.2 (70)

10.8 (104)

  

Isolated place

3.6 (27)

2.0 (19)

  

Other

3.6 (27)

4.4 (42)

  

Level of suicidal intent, % (N)

  

χ2(2) = 3.813

.149

Clear suicidal intent

48.9 (372)

52.8 (504)

  

Unclear suicidal intent

26.8 (204)

26.7 (255)

  

No suicidal intent

24.2 (184)

20.5 (196)

  

Notable Seriousness of the episode, % (N)

17.6 (132)

18.1 (170)

χ2(1) = 0.067

.796

Arrival at the ER, % (N)

  

χ2(5) = 11.485

.043

Alone, on its own initiative

10.1 (75)

14.4 (132)

  

With family/friends, on their impulse

22.2 (164)

18.3 (168)

  

By ambulance, called by the patient

5.4 (40)

5.4 (50)

  

By ambulance, called by other

49.2 (364)

49.0 (450)

  

With the police, called by the patient

0.8 (6)

1.6 (15)

  

With the police, called by other

12.3 (91)

11.3 (104)

  

Intoxication at the time of the episode, % (N)

35.7 (261)

44.9 (403)

χ2(1) = 14.186

 < .001

Use of substance during the last 3 months, Median (IQR)

    

Alcohol

2.0 (3.0)

2.0 (3.0)

U = 149,110.0

 < .001a

Cannabis

1.0 (0.0)

1.0 (0.0)

U = 138,545.0

.003a

Unprescribed medicine

1.0 (0.0)

1.0 (0.0)

U = 102,208.0

 < .001a

Cocaine

1.0 (0.0)

1.0 (0.0)

U = 155,606.5

.012a

Opiates

1.0 (0.0)

1.0 (0.0)

U = 141,418.5

 < .001 a

Pre-self-harm episode follow-up, % (N)

  

Fisher’s exact test

 < .001

None

33.6 (249)

18.5 (172)

  

General practitioner

20.8 (154)

12.0 (112)

  

Outpatient public psychiatry network

15.1 (112)

31.0 (288)

  

Psychologist or psychiatrist in private practice

25.8 (191)

32.8 (305)

  

Other healthcare professional

1.9 (14)

1.2 (11)

  

Voluntary psychiatric hospitalization

0.8 (6)

2.6 (24)

  

Involuntary psychiatric hospitalization

0.5 (4)

0.8 (7)

  

Psychiatric hospitalization, unspecified

0.3 (2)

0.3 (3)

  

Non-psychiatric hospitalization (liaison)

0.9 (7)

0.5 (5)

  

Social worker

0.1 (1)

0.3 (3)

  

Post-self-harm episode follow-up, % (N)

  

Fisher’s exact test

 < .001

None

4.1 (30)

2.9 (27)

  

Outpatient public psychiatry network

34.4 (251)

25.3 (233)

  

General practitioner

3.2 (23)

1.3 (12)

  

Psychologist or psychiatrist in private practice

15.8 (115)

14.9 (137)

  

Other healthcare professional

1.4 (10)

1.0 (9)

  

Voluntary psychiatric hospitalization

22.4 (163)

32.3 (297)

  

Involuntary psychiatric hospitalization

13.0 (95)

19.0 (175)

  

Non-psychiatric hospitalization (liaison)

4.8 (35)

2.4 (22)

  

Psychiatric hospitalization, unspecified

0.4 (3)

0.4 (4)

  

Social worker

0.5 (4)

0.4 (4)

  

Realization level of the self-harm episode, % N)

  

χ2(2) = 2.122

.346

Completed

67.2 (205)

72.2 (314)

  

Interrupted

21.3 (65)

17.9 (78)

  

Aborted

11.5 (35)

9.9 (43)

  

Significant recent event, suffering related to work situation, % (NN)

16.2 (46)

10.8 (42)

χ2(1) = 4.212

.004

Significant recent event, harassment at work/mobbing, % (N)

4.3 (12)

1.6 (6)

χ2(1) = 4.599

.032

  1. For multiple episodes of SH, the data of the last episode were used
  2. IQR Inter-quartile Range
  3. aPatients with multiple episodes > Patients with first episode;