Changes in health-related quality of life in patients admitted to emergency departments for attempted suicide: Findings from a large longitudinal study

Abstract

Background: Studies of quality of life among suicide attempters are limited while it is considered important for preventing reattempt of suicide. We investigated health related quality of life (HRQoL) in suicide attempters immediately after the suicide attempt and in the long term.

Methods: This was longitudinal data from a randomized controlled multicenter trial. The Japanese version of the Short Form Health Survey-36 as HRQOL measured at 0, 6, and 12 months after randomization.

Results: 799 patients (356 men and 443 women) were analyzed. At baseline, the mean physical component summary (PCS) and the mental component summary (MCS) scores were 34.56 and 35.15, respectively, and they were significantly low compared with those of the general population. PCS scores significantly improved from baseline to 6 months (p = 0.003), from baseline to 12 months (p < 0.0001), and from baseline to 12 months (p = 0.002). MCS scores significantly improved from baseline to 6 months (p < 0.0001) and from baseline to 12 months (p < 0.0001). However, neither PCS nor MCS scores reached those of the general population norm at 12 months post-suicide attempt.

Limitations: Patients younger than 20 years and patients who self-harmed but were not admitted to an emergency department were excluded.

Conclusion: This study presents a trajectory of HRQoL scores in suicide attempters from immediately after the suicide attempt to 1 year later. Further studies on HRQoL in suicide attempters are needed to elucidate the effective care for the attempters.

Keywords: Emergency department; Health-related quality of life; Psychiatric disorder; Suicide attempt.