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Bergqvist E, Probert-Lindström S, Fröding E, Palmqvist-Öberg N, Ehnvall A, Sunnqvist C, Sellin T, Vaez M, Waern M, Westrin Å. Health care utilisation two years prior to suicide in Sweden: a retrospective explorative study based on medical records. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:664. [PMID: 35581647 PMCID: PMC9115926 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08044-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous literature has suggested that identifying putative differences in health care seeking patterns before death by suicide depending on age and gender may facilitate more targeted suicide preventive approaches. The aim of this study is to map health care utilisation among individuals in the two years prior to suicide in Sweden in 2015 and to examine possible age and gender differences. METHODS Design: A retrospective explorative study with a medical record review covering the two years preceding suicide. SETTING All health care units located in 20 of Sweden's 21 regions. PARTICIPANTS All individuals residing in participating regions who died by suicide during 2015 (n = 949). RESULTS Almost 74% were in contact with a health care provider during the 3 months prior to suicide, and 60% within 4 weeks. Overall health care utilisation during the last month of life did not differ between age groups. However, a higher proportion of younger individuals (< 65 years) were in contact with psychiatric services, and a higher proportion of older individuals (≥ 65 years) were in contact with primary and specialised somatic health care. The proportion of women with any type of health care contact during the observation period was larger than the corresponding proportion of men, although no gender difference was found among primary and specialised somatic health care users within four weeks and three months respectively prior to suicide. CONCLUSION Care utilisation before suicide varied by gender and age. Female suicide decedents seem to utilise health care to a larger extent than male decedents in the two years preceding death, except for the non-psychiatric services in closer proximity to death. Older adults seem to predominantly use non-psychiatric services, while younger individuals seek psychiatric services to a larger extent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Bergqvist
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Psychiatry, Lund University, Baravägen 1, 221 85, Lund, Sweden.
- Psychiatric In-Patient Clinic, Hallands Sjukhus Varberg, Region Halland, 432 81, Varberg, Sweden.
| | - Sara Probert-Lindström
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Psychiatry, Lund University, Baravägen 1, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
- Office of Psychiatry and Habilitation, Region Skåne, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
| | - Elin Fröding
- School of Health and Welfare, The Jönköping Academy for Improvement of Health and Welfare, Jönköping University, 551 11, Jönköping, Sweden
- Region Jonköpings Län, Jönköping, Sweden
| | - Nina Palmqvist-Öberg
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Psychiatry, Lund University, Baravägen 1, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
- Office of Psychiatry and Habilitation, Region Skåne, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anna Ehnvall
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Psychiatric Out-Patient Clinic, Region Halland, 432 43, Varberg, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Sunnqvist
- Faculty of Health and Society, Department of Care Science, Malmö University, 214 28, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Tabita Sellin
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University Health Care Research Center, Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Marjan Vaez
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Margda Waern
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, 413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Psychosis Clinic, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, 431 30, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Åsa Westrin
- Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Psychiatry, Lund University, Baravägen 1, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
- Office of Psychiatry and Habilitation, Region Skåne, 221 85, Lund, Sweden
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