Yonder: Suicide, rhinosinusitis, urgent care centres, and favourite patients.

Abstract

Suicide. Suicide continues to be a frequent and tragic cause of death across the world that can be devastating for families and loved ones. Given that suicide is commoner in those with physical and mental health problems, it would be reasonable to suggest that suicide attempts may be preceded by contact with primary care services, thus providing opportunities for intervention. A research team from Northern Ireland recently sought to examine predictors of contact with healthcare services in the 12-month period prior to suicide. 1 They retrospectively analysed deaths recorded as suicide by the Northern Ireland Coroner’s Office, linking with data from GP records. They found that, in 87% of cases, there had been contact with GPs in the year prior to suicide, with frequency of contact particularly high in those with psychiatric conditions and substance misuse issues. However, they also found that, for 40% of individuals, there was no history of mental health conditions and suggest that GP alertness to suicide may perhaps be too narrowly focused. Rhinosinusitis. In addition to nasal symptoms, chronic rhinosinusitis is associated with reduced quality of life because of the impact on sleep quality, work productivity and mental health. In order to explore the experiences of patients with this condition, researchers from Norwich interviewed 21 adult patients that were recruited in an ENT clinic.