Deliberate self-harm
NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
Record ID 31999008329
English
Authors' objectives:
This report summarises the available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions after deliberate self-harm.
Authors' recommendations:
Deliberate self-harm involves intentional self-poisoning or injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act. It is one of the top five causes of acute medical admissions for both women and men in the UK.
All hospital attendance following deliberate self-harm should lead to a specialist psychosocial assessment. This should identify motives for the act, and those associated problems which are potentially amenable to intervention such as psychological or social problems, mental disorder, alcohol and substance misuse.
Direct discharge from A&E should only be contemplated if a psychosocial assessment and aftercare plan can be arranged prior to discharge. Aftercare arrangements should include advice on the services available.
GPs should have ready access to training and advice about the assessment and management of self-harm patients in primary care.
Accessible and comprehensive services need to include a mechanism for engaging people who do not attend routine clinic appointments. Access to follow-up needs to be rapid as repetition can occur soon after the episode.
Service providers should work to improve attitudes towards self-harming patients, for example through training aimed at increasing knowledge.
There is insufficient evidence to recommend a specific clinical intervention after deliberate self-harm. Further research is needed to establish the effectiveness of potential interventions.
Authors' methods:
Systematic review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/crd/ehcb.htm
Year Published:
1998
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
England
MeSH Terms
- Costs and Cost Analysis
- Emergency Service, Hospital
- Hospitalization
- Psychotherapy
- Suicide, Attempted
- Self-Injurious Behavior
Contact
Organisation Name:
University of York
Contact Address:
University of York, York, Y01 5DD, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1904 321040, Fax: +44 1904 321041,
Contact Name:
crd@york.ac.uk
Contact Email:
crd@york.ac.uk
Copyright:
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.