Abstract

CORONADO-MOLINA, Oscar. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics and therapeutic approach of patients attending due to suicide attempt in San José General Hospital of Callao, Perú. Rev Neuropsiquiatr [online]. 2014, vol.77, n.4, pp.242-249. ISSN 0034-8597.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiologic and clinical features, as the therapeutic approach of suicide attempt cases attending a general hospital in Callao. Material and Methods: Case series study. Medical records of patients who were admitted to the emergency and observation rooms, in a general hospital in Callao, for attempted suicide and consulted to the psychiatry service between January 2006 and December 2007 were reviewed. Results: A hundred patients were assessed, the mean age was 28.87 (SD = 10.85 years) with a range between18-92 years. The female-male ratio of suicide attempt was 3 to 1. The 61% of patients had children, 34% had not completed high school and the percentage of unemployed people or with unstable jobs reaches 81%. The 54% attempted suicide with carbamates. Interpersonal relationship issues, were the most frequent cause of the crisis. In addition 92% had a mental disorder and major depression was 50%. Only 11% spent more than three days hospitalized and 46% was discharged the same day of hospitalization, 87% were discharged by the psychiatrist, with counselling to family members. 69% attended outpatient psychiatry at least once, but no patient discharged by a no-psychiatrist or self-discharge attended to outpatient. 20% of the total sample attended outpatient clinic as scheduled during the two year follow-up. Conclusions: The main factors associated with suicide attempt were low education level, unemployment, relationship issues, and diagnoses of major depression and abnormal personality. The diagnosis, therapy and prognosis improved when the psychiatrist assumed the management, so it is essential that the specialist is responsible for determining the destiny of each of the patients coming to the emergency room of a general hospital for attempted suicide.

Keywords : Suicide attempt; general hospital; treatment.

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