Teenage Attempted Suicide in Hong Kong
- 1 March 1998
- journal article
- Published by Hogrefe Publishing Group in Crisis
- Vol. 19 (2), 67-72
- https://doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910.19.2.67
Abstract
We examined the epidemiological profiles and characteristics of suicide attempters admitted to the Accident and Emergency Department of a regional hospital in Hong Kong (Princess Margaret Hospital) in the period from January to December 1995. These consisted of 101 adolescents (16 males and 85 females) aged between 10 to 24 years. There were significantly more female attempters than males, especially in the group aged 10-19, which had a male-to-female ratio of suicide rates of 1:11. Most of the methods used were nonlethal; the attempters were not serious enough and had no real intention to die. The use of painkillers and sleeping pills was most common. The main precipitating factor was interpersonal problems, for example, relationships, spousal and parental problems, especially among teenage girls. More than 90% of the cases stayed at the hospital for further observation, the mean length of stay in the hospital being 3.3 days. The potential health cost to the hospital system was around HK$ 11.7 million. Underestimating the prevalence of attempted suicides in Hong Kong could be a serious matter.Keywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- Paracetamol Self-Poisoning Characteristics, Prevention and Harm ReductionThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 1996
- Attempted suicide in Oxford University students, 1976–1990Psychological Medicine, 1995
- Attempted suicide in Hong KongActa Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 1989
- Do weather, day of the week, and address affect the rate of attempted suicide in Hong Kong?Social psychiatry. Sozialpsychiatrie. Psychiatrie sociale, 1988
- Attempted suicide in children and adolescents in Hong KongSocial psychiatry. Sozialpsychiatrie. Psychiatrie sociale, 1987
- Non-fatal suicidal and life-threatening behavior among 13- to 17-year old adolescents seeking emergency medical care.American Journal of Public Health, 1985
- ATTEMPTED SUICIDE IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTSJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 1982
- Suicide attempts in children and adolescentsAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 1982
- Parasuicide in young Edinburgh women, 1968–75Psychological Medicine, 1979
- Parasuicide in Edinburgh—A Seven-Year Review 1968–74The British Journal of Psychiatry, 1977