Mónica Edith Bella

Depression and the conduct disorder are the most frequent pathologies in child and adolescent suicide attempt

UNLABELLED Until recently, suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents was associated to less serious psychopathological disorders, such as adjustment disorder. In the last decades, according to international sources, psychopathological disorders associated to suicide attempts have become more serious. OBJECTIVE To describe the frequency of mental and conduct disorders in children and adolescents that attempted suicide, in order to identify self-aggression methods and previous psychopathological antecedents. MATERIAL AND METHODS Cross sectional study based on clinical interviews to 41 children and adolescents hospitalized in Hospital de Niños de Córdoba for suicide attempt. RESULTS Ingestion of psychotropics is the most frequent self-aggression method (p< 0.0001). Psychopathological history, such as previous suicide attempt and conduct disorder, were predominant (p< 0.0001) in children and adolescents hospitalized for suicide attempt. Pathologies most frequently associated to suicide attempt were depression (29.27%) and conduct disorder (24.39%). CONCLUSIONS Children and adolescents with suicide attempt had previous psychopathological antecedents and important mental disorders such as depression and conduct disorder, which require adequate treatment and sanitary control, in order to avoid more severe consequences. The most used method to attempt suicide was ingestion of psychotropics.

Analysis of mortality from suicide in children, adolescents and youth. Argentina, 2005-2007

Objective. To analyze mortality from suicide in children, adolescents and youth aged 5 to 24 years by gender, method used, place where the incident occurred and residence (province) in Argentina over the period 2005-2007. Method. Data of Statistical Death Reports were used. Mortality rates from suicide were estimated per 100 000 inhabitants using ICD-10 (X60- X84). The statistical method included categorical data analysis. Results: Total deaths from suicide in the 5 to 24 year old group were 861 in 2005, 897 in 2006, and 815 in 2007. During the period 2005-2007, 6 deaths occurred in children younger than 10 years old. In the 10 to 24 year old group males had higher rates than females (p Language: es

Estudio de muertes por causas violentas: un análisis de tendencia en jóvenes, Argentina, 2000-2008

INTRODUCTION: Violence is the leading cause of death among young people in Latin America. The objective of this study was to analyze the trends of youth (ages 10 to 24) mortality resulting from violence, over the period 2000-2008, in the context of the socioeconomic crisis that started in Argentina, in 2001. METHODOLOGY: Databases of the Statistical Reports of Death and Vital Statistics Yearbooks were used. Violent deaths were defined by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10), and violent mortality rates for every 100,000 inhabitants were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed according to the nature of the variable involved. RESULTS: Violent mortality rates were 42.48o/0000 deaths for 2000, and 43.09o/0000 for 2008, with the incidence being higher for males (p=0.0015). For both sexes, there was an increase of violent deaths due to car accidents. There was also an increase of deaths by aggression in males. The highest suicide rate corresponded to the period 2000-2005. CONCLUSIONS: Since these violent deaths are preventable, reflection on public health policies is urgent.

Análisis de la mortalidad por suicidio en niños, adolescentes y jóvenes. Argentina, 2005-2007

OBJECTIVE To analyze mortality from suicide in children, adolescents and youth aged 5 to 24 years by gender, method used, place where the incident occurred and residence (province) in Argentina over the period 2005-2007. METHOD Data of Statistical Death Reports were used. Mortality rates from suicide were estimated per 100 000 inhabitants using ICD-10 (X60- X84). The statistical method included categorical data analysis. RESULTS Total deaths from suicide in the 5 to 24 year old group were 861 in 2005, 897 in 2006, and 815 in 2007. During the period 2005-2007, 6 deaths occurred in children younger than 10 years old. In the 10 to 24 year old group males had higher rates than females (p < 0.01). Analysis by gender and age group showed an increase of suicide in males in the group aged 20-24 years old (p < 0.01), while females had the highest rates of suicide in the 15 to 19 year old group. Hanging and use of firearms were the most frequent methods (p < 0.01). The home was the most frequent place where the incident occurred (p< 0.01). Santa Cruz, Salta and Jujuy had the highest rates of suicide in Argentina, whereas Santiago del Estero, Capital Federal and Misiones showed the lowest ones. CONCLUSION Suicide in Argentinean adolescents and youth is a public health problem, especially among males. The provinces in the North and South of Argentina had the highest rates in the country.

Comportamientos de riesgo para la salud en niños y adolescentes con intentos de suicidio y en sus familiares

BACKGROUND Suicidal behavior is the result of the interaction of several factors and represents an increasing health problem. AIM To characterize epidemiologically children and adolescents with suicidal attempts and compare them to a control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS A case-control and prospective study, based on clinical interviews and tests performed to 30 children and adolescents hospitalized due to a suicidal attempt and their parents or tutors, (GIS) and 40 ambulatory controls without such history (CG). Psychopathological disorders, risk behaviors (substance use, maltreatment, peer violence, sexual abuse and early sexual relations), family factors and their association with suicidal attempts, were analyzed. RESULTS Seventy seven percent of participants with a history of suicidal attempt had psychopathological disorders (depression in 38%) and a higher prevalence of suicidal behavior, maltreatment, substance and sexual abuse. Male sex was a risk factor for suicide among children under 12 years and female sex was a risk factor for adolescents aged over 12 years. Other risk factors detected were a risky communication between parents and siblings. CONCLUSIONS Children and adolescents who attempted suicide and their families have a higher prevalence of risk behaviors than the control group.Background: Suicidal behavior is the result of the interaction of several factors and represents an increasing health problem. Aim: To characterize epidemiologically children and adolescents with suicidal attempts and compare them to a control group. Material and Methods: A case-control and prospective study, based on clinical interviews and tests performed to 30 children and adolescents hospitalized due to a suicidal attempt and their parents or tutors, (GIS) and 40 ambulatory controls without such history (CG). Psychopathological disorders, risk behaviors (substance use, maltreatment, peer violence, sexual abuse and early sexual relations), family factors and their association with suicidal attempts, were analyzed. Results: Seventy seven percent of participants with a history of suicidal attempt had psychopathological disorders (depression in 38%) and a higher prevalence of suicidal behavior, maltreatment, substance and sexual abuse. Male sex was a risk factor for suicide among children under 12 years and female sex was a risk factor for adolescents aged over 12years. Other risk factors detected were a risky communication between parents and siblings. Conclusions: Children and adolescents who attempted suicide and their families have a higher prevalence of risk behaviors than the control group. Language: es

Demand for hospitalization due to psychosocial causes in a pediatric hospital

INTRODUCTION Health care services show epidemiological changes and an increase in the number of consultations due to mental causes and violence without having the necessary capacity to respond to this increasing demand. OBJECTIVE To analyze and compare the demand for hospitalization due to psychosocial causes in a pediatric hospital during three different periods. MATERIALS AND METHODS Descriptive, retrospective study. The cases were children/adolescents hospitalized for psychosocial causes at Hospital de Niños de la Santísima Trinidad, Córdoba. The data were processed using frequency analysis and chi-square test. RESULTS 221 records were analyzed. The hospitalization rate was 0.73% in the year 2000, 1.44% in 2005 and 1.26% in 2010. The hospitalization rate for psychosocial causes increased from 0.06 in 2000 to 0.10 in the years 2005 and 2010. The most common reasons for admission were: suspected child abuse in 44.2% (p < 0.0001), suicidal behavior in 18.7%, suspected sexual abuse in 10.05% and substance abuse in 6.8%. The psychomotor agitation episode and psychotic episode showed a prevalence of 2.4% in 2000, while in 2010 it was of 9.5% for the psychomotor agitation episode and of 5.7% for the psychotic episode. Suicidal behavior and suspected sexual abuse were more common in women and the psychomotor agitation episode and substance abuse were more common in men. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalizations for psychosocial causes and, particularly, mental causes in children/adolescents have increased and show a different behavior according to age and gender. Health problems related to violence were the most frequent ones.