A study of individuals with intentional self-harm referred to psychiatry in a tertiary care center

Intentional self-harm in individuals referred to consultation liaison psychiatry services in a tertiary care hospital

BACKGROUND

Intentional self-harm (ISH) is one of the most important entities of consultation-liaison psychiatry. This study aimed to assess the clinical profile of individuals with intentional self-harm referred to consultation-liaison (CL) psychiatric services in a tertiary care hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was a cross-sectional hospital-based study, in which purposive sampling was done for sample selection. A total of 60 subjects of ISH referred for evaluation in a tertiary care psychiatry hospital on specified days were recruited to the study after obtaining informed consent. Demographic and clinical details such as the nature of the self-harm attempt, method of attempt, number of attempts, the reason for the attempt, and regret/remorse about the attempt were documented using the semi-structured proforma.

RESULTS

A total of 60 subjects were included in the study. About 80% of them were below the age of 30 years. The majority (80%) were females, 65% were from a rural background, 56.7% were married. The most common method of ISH was self-poisoning. Interpersonal conflicts with family members (50%), followed by interpersonal conflicts with the spouse/partner (21.7%) were the commonest reason/precipitating factors that lead to intentional self-harm. Also, 45% of our study population did not have any diagnosable psychiatric illness at the time of assessment, and the most common psychiatric diagnosis was personality disorders (20%).

CONCLUSION

Intentional self-harm is common in young married females from rural backgrounds. Self-poisoning is the most common method of deliberate self-harm. More than half of the individuals were diagnosed with the psychiatric illness at presentation.