Predicting suicide following self-harm: risk analysis provides little help

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Camille Hart, Alys Cole-King and Siobhan O’Neill co-author this blog about a recent systematic review of risk factors and risk scales, which explores the feasibility of predicting suicide following self-harm.

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The weekend effect in mental health services: new evidence suggests no increased risk of suicide, inpatient mortality or seclusion

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Laura Hemming reviews two recent studies that investigate whether patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital at the weekend had worse clinical outcomes, as well as the specific weekend versus weekday incidences of suicide in very high-risk mental health patients.

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Infection with hepatitis, HIV or AIDS may be significant risk factor for suicide

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Katrina Witt summarises a recent nationwide cohort study, which suggests that infection, particularly with hepatitis, HIV or AIDS, is a significant risk factor for suicide.

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Does recession = poorer health? Evidence strongest for suicide and mental illness

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Claire Niedzwiedz examines a recent systematic review which looks at the possible harm caused by the 2008 financial crisis and recession on the health of people living across Europe.

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Austerity and suicide: are we placing health before wealth?

Protesters clash with policemen during riots at a May Day rally in Athens May 1, 2010. Angry protesters set fire to garbage cans and two TV outside broadcast vans in Athens as thousands of Greeks marched through the capital on May Day to protest against austerity measures they say only hurt the poor.  REUTERS/Icon/Panagiotis Tzamaros  (GREECE - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS CIVIL UNREST EMPLOYMENT IMAGES OF THE DAY) GREECE OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN GREECE

Ian Cummins reflects on a recent study looking at the relationship between fiscal austerity and suicide rates in Greece, Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

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Time to stop prescribing antidepressants to young people with depression?

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Andrew Shepherd considers the implications of a recent network meta-analysis of the efficacy and tolerability of antidepressants for children and adolescents with depression.

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Bipolar disorder in older men linked to increased risk of dementia

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Elena Marcus presents a recent study that shows how older Australian men with bipolar disorder have an increased risk of dementia and early death.

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Lithium for bipolar disorder: the best maintenance mood stabiliser protection against self-harm and suicide?

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Michael Ostacher provides a robust appraisal of a recent UK cohort study that suggests bipolar disorder patients taking lithium had reduced self-harm and unintentional injury rates, when compared with patients taking valproate, olanzapine or quetiapine.

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The vexing challenge of suicide prevention: a research informed perspective on a recent systematic review

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Stanley Kutcher and Yifeng Wei provide an in-depth analysis of a recent systematic review of suicide prevention strategies.

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Locked wards vs open wards: does control = safety?

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André Tomlin summarises a 15 year observational study published today in The Lancet Psychiatry, which provides fascinating insight into suicide risk and absconding in psychiatric inpatient units with locked wards and open door policies.

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