Suicide attempts among children and adolescents admitted to a Polish Emergency Department: Analysis of epidemiology, circumstances and methods of 154 cases.

Abstract

Suicide attempts among pediatric patients are currently one of the most critical issues in modern psychiatry and emergency medicine, and constitute a serious public health problem that affects people of almost every age group. It is often emphasized that attempted suicide is a cry for help, and according to international studies, the pandemic year of 2020 massively impacted the frequency of suicide attempts among children. However, such studies have yet to appear in Poland. To characterize the frequency, circumstances and methods of suicide attempts among children and adolescents, and investigate their relationship with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 154 children admitted to the Emergency Department due to suicide attempts between January 2020 and June 2021. No statistical relationship was found between the direct impact of the pandemic and suicide attempts among children and adolescents. However, age and gender influenced the methods used and the frequency of suicide attempts. Females are more likely to attempt suicide than males, and patients as young as 8 tried to take their own lives. Due to the increasing frequency of suicide attempts in children and adolescents, people at particular risk of such behaviors should be identified and provided with effective care. Unfortunately, although the vast majority of pediatric patients who attempted suicide had psychiatric consultations in the past, it did not prevent them from actively trying to end their lives. Furthermore, even children of a very young age are at risk of suicide events.