Growth in emergency department self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations in young people

A research article has been published in the Australian New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, titled “Growth in emergency department self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations in young people: Comparing trends before and since the covid-19 first wave in New South Wales.” There has been an increase all over the world, in young people presenting to emergency departments for self-harm. This trend pre-dates the covid-19 pandemic.  In this study, emergency department data from New South Wales was analysed across a number of time points, to track changes relating to covid-19. Prior to the pandemic, self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations were increasing 8.4% per annum in New South Wales. Since covid-19, the growth has accelerated to 19.2% per annum. This increase has been primarily driven by young women aged 13-17 (47% increase per annum since covid-19). Presentations in males aged 10 – 24 did not increase across the same time period. The rate of increase was highest in socio-economically advantaged areas.

Go to “Growth in emergency department self-harm or suicidal ideation presentations in young people: Comparing trends before and since the covid-19 first wave in New South Wales.”