Abstract

BARRIGA, Lautaro. Characterization of the severity of suicide attempts in adolescents hospitalized in a public hospital in Chile. Invest. clín [online]. 2023, vol.64, n.4, pp.451-459.  Epub Dec 21, 2023. ISSN 0535-5133.  https://doi.org/10.54817/ic.v64n4a02.

Adolescent suicide has increased in the Americas. In Chile, attempted suicide in adolescents is a public health problem that needs an urgent solution. A quantitative, comparative and retrospective study was conducted to provide the hospital with intervention strategies and articulation with the territorial mental health network. The sociodemographic and clinical aspects of 96 records of adolescents hospitalized for attempted suicide between January 2017 and December 2018 were reviewed, compared, and related. Two study groups were formed: Group I, 14 adolescents previously hospitalized in the Intensive Treatment Unit and Group II, 82 adolescents who did not require this unit. Gender, age, education, history of sexual abuse, diagnoses of mental disorders, co-morbidities, previous mental health consultations, and caregivers with mental disorders were studied. Descriptive statistics and odds ratios were used. In group I, with 92% male adolescents, severe depression was observed in 57% of cases, and 100% of its members suffered sexual abuse; in group II, with 91% female adolescents, 79% moderate depression was found, 85.3% abnormal personality development and 70% of its members suffered sexual abuse. Sexual abuse explained the highest percentage of the variance (29%). It is concluded that the hospital must consider the distinctive characteristics of the study groups and coordinate with the territorial network of mental health the continuity of care in its interventions.

Keywords : adolescents; hospitalization; suicide attempt; mental disorder; sexual abuse.

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