OBJECTIVE: Higher rates of health care service use prior to suicide were previously reported in Western countries; however, these studies have tended to suffer from small sample sizes. This nationwide, population-based study examines the distribution and patterns of health care service use among suicide victims in Taiwan. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using linked population-based data to determine the proportion of health care service use among suicide victims aged 15 years and older within the 1-year and 1-month period prior to their deaths. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and health care indices, the differences in health care service use patterns were assessed for age and sex. RESULTS: Among the 19 426 suicide victims in the sample, 83.1% had used nonmental health care services within the 1-year period prior to their death, while only 22.2% had used mental health care services. Men, and suicide victims aged 55 years and older, were less likely to have had any contact with mental health care professionals prior to their deaths (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In line with prior studies, similarly high rates and distinct patterns of health care service use were found in Taiwan prior to suicide. These findings will be of practical interest and should support designing appropriate methods of suicide intervention and effective preventive strategies.
OBJECTIVE: Higher rates of health care service use prior to suicide were previously reported in Western countries; however, these studies have tended to suffer from small sample sizes. This nationwide, population-based study examines the distribution and patterns of health care service use among suicide victims in Taiwan. METHOD: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using linked population-based data to determine the proportion of health care service use among suicide victims aged 15 years and older within the 1-year and 1-month period prior to their deaths. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic and health care indices, the differences in health care service use patterns were assessed for age and sex. RESULTS: Among the 19 426 suicide victims in the sample, 83.1% had used nonmental health care services within the 1-year period prior to their death, while only 22.2% had used mental health care services. Men, and suicide victims aged 55 years and older, were less likely to have had any contact with mental health care professionals prior to their deaths (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In line with prior studies, similarly high rates and distinct patterns of health care service use were found in Taiwan prior to suicide. These findings will be of practical interest and should support designing appropriate methods of suicide intervention and effective preventive strategies.
Authors: Brian K Ahmedani; Gregory E Simon; Christine Stewart; Arne Beck; Beth E Waitzfelder; Rebecca Rossom; Frances Lynch; Ashli Owen-Smith; Enid M Hunkeler; Ursula Whiteside; Belinda H Operskalski; M Justin Coffey; Leif I Solberg Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2014-02-25 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Peter C Britton; Mark A Ilgen; Marcia Valenstein; Kerry Knox; Cynthia A Claassen; Kenneth R Conner Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2012-01-25 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Eric G Smith; Thomas J Craig; Dara Ganoczy; Heather M Walters; Marcia Valenstein Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 2010-09-07 Impact factor: 4.384
Authors: Ayal Schaffer; Mark Sinyor; Paul Kurdyak; Simone Vigod; Jitender Sareen; Catherine Reis; Diane Green; James Bolton; Anne Rhodes; Sophie Grigoriadis; John Cairney; Amy Cheung Journal: World Psychiatry Date: 2016-06 Impact factor: 49.548