Ascertainment of self-harm at general hospitals in Hong Kong

Mental health of gatekeepers may influence their own attitudes toward suicide: A questionnaire survey from a suicide-prevention gatekeeper training program

AIMS

We aimed to investigate the association between general mental health and attitudes toward suicide of participants in suicide-prevention gatekeeper training programs.

METHODS

We conducted a number of half day training seminars within a suicide prevention program addressing gatekeepers. Participants filled in two questionnaires, one measuring general health (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12), and one measuring attitudes towards suicide (ATTS).

RESULTS

The total sample size of participants was 230, of whom 115 completed questionnaires. There were no significant differences in demographic backgrounds between the good mental health (GHQ-12 ≤ 4) and the poor mental health (GHQ-12 ≥ 5) groups. The poor mental health group was more likely to think that people have the right to commit suicide.

CONCLUSION

There was a difference in attitudes toward suicide between the good mental health and the poor mental health groups, indicating that attention should be paid to participants' mental health when conducting suicide-prevention gatekeeper training.

High prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury, tattoos, and psychiatric comorbidity among male adolescent prisoners and their sociodemographic characteristics

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the frequency of psychiatric disorders and the sociodemographic and clinical features in adolescent prisoners.

METHOD

The psychiatric diagnoses and sociodemographic characteristics of treatment of 76 adolescent male prisoners and 76 age-matched patients were compared (age range: 15-17).

RESULTS

Conduct disorder (85.5%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (61.8%), depression (50%), substance abuse (40.8%), post-traumatic stress disorder (19.7%), and psychotic disorder (3.9%) were more frequent among adolescent prisoners than the control group. The educational levels of parents of adolescent prisoners and their socioeconomic statuses were significantly lower, and the nonsuicidal self-injury (73.7%) and tattooing frequency (65.8%) were significantly higher among adolescent prisoners than the control group. Only 51.3% had both parents living together.

CONCLUSION

Psychiatric disorders, low socioeconomic status, family disorganization, nonsuicidal self-injury, tattoos, and interruption of education were frequent in adolescent prisoners in this study. Our findings emphasize the importance of early psychiatric treatment and family-based interventions to help prevent adolescents from committing crimes. In addition, nonsuicidal self-injury and tattoos may be associated with criminal behavior in adolescents.