Background to the study: When compared to the United Kingdom general population, rates of deliberate self-harm (DSH) are increased among certain ethnic groups, particularly in those from the Indian diaspora.
Aim: To investigate differences between ethnic groups in the demographic and clinical features of patients admitted after episodes of DSH and subsequently assessed by a nurse-led DSH liaison team.
Method: A retrospective case-note study (N = 297) with completion of a standardized data collection instrument. The ethnic origin of each patient was assessed by a variety of means.
Results: Asian patients (n = 38) were more likely to be female (p = 0.043), married (p = 0.027), and cite problems with their partner (p = 0.017) as a precipitant to DSH. The indigenous group (n = 234) were more likely to have previous contact with psychiatric services (p = 0.023), to have used alcohol preceding DSH (p = 0.014), and to have a criminal record (p = 0.007).
Conclusions: In this population, the demographic and clinical features of patients assessed after DSH vary significantly with ethnic group. A case-control study is warranted to examine these differences in more detail.
