Centre for Mental Health and Safety, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Centre for Mental Health and Safety, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
J Affect Disord. 2023 Aug 15;335:67-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.112. Epub 2023 May 5.
Increases in poor mental health and suicide have been identified among university students in the UK. However, little is known about self-harm in this group.
To describe and identify care needs of university aged-students who self-harm via comparisons with an age-equivalent non-student group who self-harm.
Observational cohort data from The Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England were used to investigate students aged 18 to 24 years who presented to emergency departments for self-harm, 2003 to 2016. Data were collected via clinician reports and medical records from five hospitals in three English regions. Characteristics, rates, repetition, and mortality outcomes were investigated.
The student sample included 3491 individuals (983, 28.2 % men; 2507, 71.8 % women; 1 unknown) compared to 7807 (3342, 42.8 % men; 4465, 57.2 % women) non-students. Self-harm increased over time in students (IRR 1.08, 95%CI 1.06-1.10, p < 0.01) but not in non-students (IRR 1.01, 95%CI 1.00-1.02, p = 0.15). There were differences in monthly distribution of self-harm with more presentations by students in October, November, and February. Characteristics were broadly similar, but students reported more problems with studying and mental health. Repetition (HR 0.78, 95%CI 0.71-0.86, p < 0.01) and mortality (HR 0.51, 95%CI 0.33-0.80, p < 0.01) were lower in students than non-students.
Self-harm in students may be directly related the student experience, such as academic pressure, relocation, and the transition to independent living. Wellbeing initiatives targeting these factors, alongside mental health awareness training for academic and non-academic staff may help to support students at risk.
在英国，大学生的心理健康状况恶化和自杀率上升已经得到确认。然而，人们对这一群体的自残行为知之甚少。
通过与年龄相当的非学生自残组进行比较，描述和确定大学年龄自残学生的护理需求。
使用 2003 年至 2016 年在英格兰进行的多中心自我伤害研究的观察性队列数据，调查因自我伤害而到急诊部门就诊的 18 至 24 岁的学生。数据通过来自三个英格兰地区的五家医院的临床医生报告和医疗记录收集。研究了特征、发生率、重复率和死亡率结果。
学生样本包括 3491 人（983 人，28.2%为男性；2507 人，71.8%为女性；1 人未知），与 7807 名（3342 名，42.8%为男性；4465 名，57.2%为女性）非学生相比。学生的自残行为随着时间的推移而增加（IRR1.08，95%CI1.06-1.10，p<0.01），而非学生则没有增加（IRR1.01，95%CI1.00-1.02，p=0.15）。自残的月度分布存在差异，学生在 10 月、11 月和 2 月的就诊人数较多。特征大致相似，但学生报告学习和心理健康问题更多。与非学生相比，学生的重复率（HR0.78，95%CI0.71-0.86，p<0.01）和死亡率（HR0.51，95%CI0.33-0.80，p<0.01）较低。
学生的自残行为可能与学生经历直接相关，如学业压力、搬迁和过渡到独立生活。针对这些因素的福利计划，以及针对学术和非学术人员的心理健康意识培训，可能有助于支持有风险的学生。
