Table 5 Contextual factors for patients admitted to hospital for substance-related self-harm (by age group)
From: Sentinel surveillance of substance-related self-harm in Canadian emergency departments, 2011 − 19
Theme | Description | Frequency n (%) | ||||
Youth 10-14 years n = 888 | Youth 15-19 years n = 1795 | Adults 20-49 years n = 536 | Older Adults 50+ n = 243 | Total n = 3462 | ||
Suicide attempt | Suicidal attempt, gesture, ideation, or stated “wanted to die” | 489 (55.1) | 937 (52.2) | 234 (43.7) | 148 (60.9) | 1808 (52.2) |
Stressors | Feeling: “upset”; “depressed”; “stressed”; overwhelmed”; “sad” | 183 (20.6) | 354 (19.7) | 52 (9.7) | 16 (6.6) | 605 (17.5) |
Conflict/separation with partner | 10 (1.1) | 74 (4.1) | 49 (9.1) | 7 (2.9) | 140 (4.0) | |
Conflict with a family member | 67 (7.5) | 82 (4.6) | 14 (2.6) | 9 (3.7) | 172 (5.0) | |
Conflict with friend/peer | 9 (1.0) | 18 (1.0) | -a | – | 29 (0.8) | |
Assault/abuse | 9 (1.0) | 11 (0.6) | – | – | 24 (0.7) | |
Bullying | 12 (1.4) | 9 (0.5) | 0 | 0 | 21 (0.6) | |
Death of loved one | – | 6 (0.3) | – | – | 12 (0.3) | |
Inability to cope with illness or pain | 0 | – | – | 6 (2.5) | 7 (0.2) | |
Pre-existing mental health condition | “history of depression” or other diagnosis | 21 (2.4) | 95 (5.3) | 10 (1.9) | 0 | 126 (3.6) |
Past attempt/history of self-harming behaviours | 28 (3.2) | 45 (2.5) | 0 | 0 | 73 (2.1) | |
Eating disorder | – | – | 0 | 0 | 5 (0.1) | |
Self-harm with an objectb | Cutting/lacerations | 40 (4.5) | 105 (5.8) | 32 (6.0) | 13 (5.3) | 190 (5.5) |
Stabbing | – | – | 16 (3.0) | – | 24 (0.7) | |
Hanging | 9 (1.0) | 11 (0.6) | – | – | 29 (0.8) | |
Shooting | 0 | 0 | – | – | 7 (0.2) | |
Two or more | – | – | – | – | 10 (0.3) | |