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Research Article: Trends and Prevalence of Hospital Admissions Related to Deliberate Self-Poisoning and Used Substances in Romanian Adolescents between 2016 and 2022

Date Published: 2023-04-27

Abstract:
Rates of self-poisoning are increasing substantially all around the world, with self-poisoning being the most common form of self-harm leading to hospitalization in children and adolescents. This study aims to investigate the trends in the number of deliberate self-poisoning admissions in Romanian adolescents during the period of 2016–2022, as well as the most frequently used substances and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital admissions due to self-poisoning and substance use in relation to these episodes. The sample included 178 patients admitted to the Clinic of Pediatric Psychiatry in Cluj-Napoca from 2016 to 2022 due to an episode of self-poisoning. Data were collected on patients’ sociodemographic characteristics, psychosocial characteristics, and medical histories. We report a slight overall increase in the self-poisoning admission rate during the studied period. There was a decrease during the initial period of the pandemic, with significantly increasing rates in the second year of the pandemic. The mean prevalence rate of hospital admissions due to self-poisoning episodes during the study period was 3.14% (95% CI 2.72, 3.63). Adolescent girls were identified as the most vulnerable group, with the female-to-male ratio increasing dramatically. In terms of substance use, benzodiazepines; over-the-counter analgesics, including paracetamol; and antidepressants were the most frequently used substances. We emphasize the importance of careful consideration in prescribing psychotropic drugs, as well as the need for regulation of over-the-counter drug dispensation.

Introduction:
Deliberate self-poisoning refers to an intentional act of inflicting damage to oneself by ingesting harmful drugs or chemical compounds. This phenomenon has shown an alarming increase over the last 15 years, with self-poisoning being among the most common reasons for emergency hospitalization in adolescents. This also implies potential high risk rates of repeated attempts and readmissions, as well as risk rates of high premature death in the future [1,2]. Increases in self-poisoning rates have been registered…

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