Girls age 10 to 19 living in rural B.C. communities with poor access to local mental health services are at the highest risk of intentionally poisoning themselves.
This is a key finding in a study led by researchers from the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit (BCIRPU), recently published in the British Columbia Medical Journal. The study characterizes self-poisoning among 10- to 19-year-olds in B.C. between 2009 and 2017. Using hospital and census data as well as the locations of mental health services throughout the province, researchers found that self-poisoning rates were highest in rural areas with poorly distributed mental health services compared to urban regions.
Dr. Ian Pike, BC Children's Hospital investigator, director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, and professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia
“We need to ensure mental health supports are accessible across the province,”
says Dr. Ian Pike, BCIRPU director, professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of British Columbia, and investigator with BC Children’s Hospital.
The study found that 81 per cent of the children and youth who poisoned themselves were girls.
The most common reason for adolescent self-harm is the desire to relieve psychological pain. Given the recent increases in depression diagnoses and antidepressant prescriptions for
girls age 12 to 19, mental health and antidepressant accessibility may have contributed to increased self-poisoning rates among girls.
“Although antidepressants can increase young people’s risk of suicidal thoughts, the benefits of antidepressant treatment greatly outweigh the potential dangers,” says Dr. Pike. “Physicians should monitor young patients for signs of mental health concerns, closely monitor those who are prescribed antidepressants and discuss alternative coping strategies.”
Quick Facts:
Self-poisoning refers to purposely self-inflicted poisoning, including both attempted suicide and non-suicidal self-harm events.
Overdoses from all drugs (including illegal drugs) were included in the study, as long as the individual was purposely poisoning themselves. Unintentional drug overdoses were not included.
The most common substance used was non-opioid painkillers (e.g. acetaminophen and ibuprofen), while the second most common substance was medication for anxiety and depression.
When a child’s cancer returns after conventional treatment, families often find themselves in uncharted territory — scared, exhausted, and grasping for answers. But thanks to a remarkable collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and national research networks, new pediatric cancer treatment options are emerging.
Infants born two to four months early are exposed to mildly painful procedures in the NICU that are essential to monitor their health. As research shows that exposure to daily pain is associated with poorer behavioural and cognitive outcomes later in life, a common pain management strategy is to give those babies sucrose, but a BCCHR study shows evidence that a sugar solution doesn’t reduce these negative effects of pain exposure in the long term.
Concussions are brain injuries that can have serious effects — especially in children, whose brains are still developing. Dr. Shelina Babul, creator of the Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT), explains why early recognition and proper care are essential — allowing kids to recover safely and get back to life, school, and doing what they love.
A recent study led by Dr. Osman Ipsiroglu found evidence that sleep-wake behaviours are characteristics associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. Additionally, a family history of iron deficiency increases the risk of sleep-wake disorders.
We believe there’s nothing we can’t do with your support. It can take years to turn scientific breakthrough into new interventions and treatments. Funding helps speed the pace of change. When given the resources, we can bring transformative therapies – and hope – out of the laboratory and into the clinic to save and improve children’s lives.
