Rates and trends of psychiatric inpatient and postdischarge suicides in Taiwan, 2002–2013: a national register-based study
Journal
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Journal Volume
54
Journal Issue
5
Pages
591-598
Date Issued
2019
Author(s)
Abstract
Purpose: In contrast to the downsizing trend of psychiatric beds in the Western world, the psychiatric bed capacity in Taiwan has steadily increased in recent decades. This study aimed to assess the suicide rates and their variations over time among psychiatric inpatients and recently discharged patients. Methods: Data on psychiatric inpatients admitted from 2002 to 2013 were extracted from the psychiatric inpatient registry of the National Health Insurance and merged with information from the Cause of Death data by means of unique identified numbers. Suicides occurring during admission and within 90?days after discharge were defined as inpatient and postdischarge suicides, respectively. Calendar year was fitted as a continuous variable in multivariate Poisson regression models to evaluate these rates over time. The analyses were adjusted for sex, age, primary psychiatric diagnosis, and number of admissions in the preceding year. Results: The overall inpatient suicide rate was very low (81 per 100,000 person-years). It decreased significantly from 146 to 74 per 100,000 person-years over the study period. This fall was observed among both genders and across all psychiatric diagnoses. The postdischarge suicide rate was comparatively high (1108 per 100,000 person-years) and did not show statistically significant change over the study period. Conclusions: Our results suggest that efforts to increase public awareness of mental disorders and efficient utilization of psychiatric inpatient care are essential for suicide prevention despite the comparatively high bed capacity. The discharge plans of inpatients should be bridged with population suicide prevention programs for continuity of care after discharge. ? 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Subjects
Claim data; Incidence; Inpatient suicide; Postdischarge suicide; Psychiatric hospitalization; Time trend
SDGs
Other Subjects
adult; female; hospital discharge; hospital patient; human; male; mental disease; mental hospital; middle aged; psychology; register; statistics and numerical data; suicide; Taiwan; Adult; Female; Hospitals, Psychiatric; Humans; Inpatients; Male; Mental Disorders; Middle Aged; Patient Discharge; Registries; Suicide; Taiwan
Publisher
Dr. Dietrich Steinkopff Verlag GmbH and Co. KG
Type
journal article