Abstract


 Objective: In the adolescence period, suicide attempts by drug overdose is the problem that emergency doctors are often faced with. It is very important to identify risk factors that can be predictive of future suicide attempts. In our study, we evaluated the adolescents who presented to our pediatric department with suicidal drug overdose to assess the risk factors clinically and demographically. 

Material and Methods: The records of 135 patients (10-18 years of age) who presented to our pediatric emergency department with suicidal drug overdose were evaluated during a one-year period (1.10.2015 and 1.10.2016). 






Results: We included 135 patients (82.2% female) with an average age of 15.65±1.37 years in the study. Most of the patients were in the middle adolescence (14-16 years) period (69.6%). 17 patients (12.6%) had a prior suicide attempt history. The time between drug overdose and arrival at the pediatric emergency department was 4.2 hours (min. 1 hour-max. 96 hours) on average. 72.6% of the them applied in the first 4 hours. 60 patients had taken multiple drugs. The usage frequency of the drugs (single/multiple) that the patients had taken to commit suicide was analgesics 48.9%, antidepressants 28.9%, antibiotics 20.7%, gastrointestinal drugs 14%, antihypertensive 8.8%, antipsychotics 7.4%, antiepileptics 7.4% and others (antidiabetics, vitamins-minerals, decongestants, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, psychostimulants, antithrombotics, antigut drugs) 14.8%. The reasons for suicide attempts included family related reasons, boy-girl friend separation, exam anxiety, school anxiety and others (loneliness, gender dysphoria). The most frequent psychiatric disorders that had been previously diagnosed were major depressive disorder, conduct disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Epilepsy had been diagnosed in 3 patients other than psychiatric disorder. The number of suicide attempts with the drugs started for these diagnoses (n=22, %16.3) was statistically significant (p<0.05). All the patients were hospitalized and observed for at least 24 hours. There was no mortality during or after the suicide attempt. 

Conclusion: Clinicians working with young people are required to assess the presence of suicidal ideation, suicidal behavior, and other risk factors, and to determine the level of risk. 

Keywords: Adolescence, Drug overdose

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How to cite

1.
Öden Akman A. Evaluation of Suicide Attempts by Drug Overdose in the Adolescent Age Group. Turk J Pediatr Dis [Internet]. 2019 Mar. 21 [cited 2025 May 25];13(1):7-12. Available from: https://turkjpediatrdis.org/article/view/633