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Suicidal Presentations to Emergency Departments in a Large Australian Public Health Service over 10 Years

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  • Nicolas J.C. Stapelberg

    (Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services, Southport, QLD 4215, Australia
    Faculty of Health Sciences & Medicine, Bond University, Robina, QLD 4226, Australia)

  • Jerneja Sveticic

    (Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services, Southport, QLD 4215, Australia)

  • Ian Hughes

    (Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services, Southport, QLD 4215, Australia)

  • Kathryn Turner

    (Mental Health and Specialist Services, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Services, Southport, QLD 4215, Australia)

Abstract

This paper presents trends and characteristics for 32,094 suicidal presentations to two Emergency Departments (EDs) in a large health service in Australia across a 10-year period (2009–2018). Prevalence of annual suicidal presentations and for selected groups of consumers (by sex, age groups, and ethnicity) was determined from a machine learning diagnostic algorithm developed for this purpose and a Bayesian estimation approach. A linear increase in the number of suicidal presentations over 10 years was observed, which was 2.8-times higher than the increase noted in all ED presentations and 6.1-times higher than the increase in the population size. Females had higher presentation rates than males, particularly among younger age groups. The highest rates of presentations were by persons aged 15–24. Overseas-born persons had around half the rates of suicidal presentations than Australian-born persons, and Indigenous persons had 2.9-times higher rates than non-Indigenous persons. Of all presenters, 70.6% presented once, but 5.7% had five or more presentations. Seasonal distribution of presentations showed a peak at the end of spring and a decline in winter months. These findings can inform the allocation of health resources and guide the development of suicide prevention strategies for people presenting to hospitals in suicidal crisis.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas J.C. Stapelberg & Jerneja Sveticic & Ian Hughes & Kathryn Turner, 2020. "Suicidal Presentations to Emergency Departments in a Large Australian Public Health Service over 10 Years," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:16:p:5920-:d:399251
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stanley, B. & Brown, G.K. & Currier, G.W. & Lyons, C. & Chesin, M. & Knox, K.L., 2015. "Brief intervention and follow-up for suicidal patients with repeat emergency department visits enhances treatment engagement," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(8), pages 1570-1572.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kathryn Turner & Anthony R. Pisani & Jerneja Sveticic & Nick O’Connor & Sabine Woerwag-Mehta & Kylie Burke & Nicolas J. C. Stapelberg, 2022. "The Paradox of Suicide Prevention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-15, November.
    2. Victoria Ross & Sharna Mathieu & Jacinta Hawgood & Kathryn Turner & Nicolas J. C. Stapelberg & Matthew Welch & Angela Davies & Jerneja Sveticic & Sarah Walker & Kairi Kõlves, 2021. "Consumer and Carer Perspectives of a Zero Suicide Prevention Program: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-11, October.

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