Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 37 No. 2, 2025.
Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2025.159
Examination of cases admitted to the emergency department for suicide: A retrospective study of clinical outcomes
Reyhan Eskiyurt
orcid.org/0000-0003-0421-4914
; Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing, Ankara, Türkiye
Nurşah Sapa
; Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Hospital Emergency Service, Ankara, Türkiye
Ahmet Demircan
; Department of Emergency Medicine, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Türkiye
Abstract
Background: Suicidal behavior is a very complex phenomenon that includes suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and death
resulting from suicide with or without a predetermined plan. Emergency services are the principal help-seeking pathways for individuals
with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This study was conducted to examine the characteristics of cases admitted to an emergency
department due to suicide in the last five years.
Subjects and Method: This study has a retrospective and descriptive design. The retrospective document analysis included the
file data of individuals admitted to the emergency department of a university hospital for suicide attempts between January 01, 2019,
and December 31, 2023. A data collection form was used to obtain data.
Results: The mean age of the individuals evaluated for suicide attempts in the emergency department was 32.86 ± 12.78 years.
Suicide attempts occurred mostly in women (61.2%). Of the individuals who attempted suicide, 61.6% had a history of psychiatric diagnosis,
70.2% had not attempted suicide before. Of the patients, 67.1% were single, 67.1% lived with their families, and 78.8% did not
have children. Of the individuals attempting suicide 23.5% had a diagnosis of depression. Suicide attempts were higher in individuals
without a romantic relationship, those with a psychiatric history, those with repeated suicide attempts, and those with personal stress.
Conclusions: Several warning signs including behavioral warning signs such as experiencing negative interpersonal life events,
alcohol abuse, suicide-related communications, and preparation of personal affairs for suicide and after death have been associated
with near-term risk for suicide attempts.
Keywords
suicide; suicide attempts; mental health; emergency department
Hrčak ID:
335846
URI
Publication date:
1.9.2025.
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