Overview
Self-harm is a term used when someone hurts or injures themselves on purpose but does not intend to end their life; often times they are trying to cope with difficult or overwhelming thoughts or feelings. (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2016).
Self-harm within the context of the report refers to any injury resulting from intentional self-harm, including self-poisoning (e.g., drugs, gas), hanging, and firearms. The main cause of emergency department (ED) visits for self-harm injuries is intentional self-poisoning with medications used to treat seizures, Parkinson’s disease, and some mental illnesses (35%), with nearly 80% of self-harm ED visits being caused by self-poisoning with some form of medication. The leading cause of mortality was self-harm by hanging, strangulation, or suffocation (48%).
Key Facts
- Self-harm injuries were the third leading cause of injury in Windsor and Essex County.
- In Windsor and Essex County, self-harm had the highest injury-related mortality rate; over 25% of all injury-related deaths were due to self-harm.
- Intentional poisoning was the top cause for incidents of self-harm resulting in hospitalization.
- Self-harm ED visits were the greatest among youth 15 – 19 years of age.
- Self-harm fatalities were greatest among middle aged adults (40 – 44 years old).
- Self-harm ED visits were highest among females (57%).
- Self-harm fatalities were greatest among males (72%).
Causes of Emergency Department Visits and Mortalities: Self Harm
|
Rank |
Cause of Emergency department visits |
ED visits |
Cause of Mortality |
Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to antiepileptic, sedative-hypnotic, antiparkinsonism and psychotropic drugs, not elsewhere classified |
177 |
Intentional self-harm by hanging, strangulation, and suffocation |
100 |
|
2 |
Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to nonopioid analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics |
86 |
Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other gases and vapours |
14 |
|
3 |
Intentional self-harm by sharp object |
79 |
Intentional self-harm by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge |
14 |
Source: Ambulatory Emergency External Cause [2014], Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: [Oct 22, 2015]. Death [2007-2011], Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, IntelliHEALTH ONTARIO, Date Extracted: [Oct 22, 2015].
*The injury data are reported using the codes defined by the International Classification of Disease 10.
The majority of ED visits and mortality causes among self-harm injuries involve intentional self-poisoning. Other common self-harm injuries which resulted in ED visits or mortality included self-poisoning with other substances (e.g., alcohol, narcotics, hallucinogens, unspecified chemicals), intentional self-harm by a sharp object, and self-harm by jumping from a high place.
The underlying causes and outcomes of intentional self-harm injuries are complex. For self-harm injuries, emergency department visits and deaths both differ by sex and age groups:
- The rate of self-harm emergency department visits was greatest among youth (15-19 years old) and young adults (20-24 years old) when compared to all other age groups. Females were more likely to visit the emergency department for self-harm injuries compared to males. These data suggest that young females are more at risk of self-harm injuries compared to other demographic groups in Windsor-Essex County.
- The rate of death caused by self-harm was greatest among those aged 40-44 years old and, more broadly, middle-aged adults (30-59 years old) had greater rates of death caused by self-harm compared to other age groups. Males were more likely to have self-harm injuries causing death; over 7 in 10 self-harm fatalities are male. This suggests that middle-aged males are at greater risk of fatal self-harm injuries compared to other demographic groups in Windsor-Essex County.
Reference:
Canadian Mental Health Association (2016). Youth and Self Injury. Retrieved from: http://www.cmha.ca/mental_health/youth-and-self-injury/#.V2hGBvkrKUk
View the full Injury Profile of Windsor and Essex County here.