Deliberate self-harm in children and adolescents: Association with social deprivation

Abstract.

Background:

It has been demonstrated that adult suicidal behaviour is associated with unemployment and social deprivation. The association between selfharm and social deprivation in young people is less clear.

Aims:

To examine the relationship between social deprivation and deliberate self-harm in children and adolescents in an UK district.

Method:

Computer records of patients under 18 years of age presenting with self-harm at the district casualty department were analysed in Hull and East Yorkshire. The relationship with social deprivation was examined using Townsend scores.

Results:

730 young people presented with self-harm during a period of two years. Socio-economic deprivation was associated with overdose, self-injury, and poisoning by illicit substances. After controlling for the proportion of single parent households, moving households with children, and adult long-term sickness in each ward, partial correlations remained significant between overdose, self-injury, and Townsend scores.

Conclusions:

The results highlight the importance of socio-economic deprivation in the aetiology of deliberate self-harm in young people. Primary and secondary prevention programs cannot be successful without taking this into consideration.