Deliberate self-poisoning: patients’ perceptions of lethality

The researchers identify that little is known about the patient's understanding and perceptions of the lethality of a deliberate overdose. This study examines patients’ perceptions of the risk of death after deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) and compares these results with a risk assessment undertaken by clinical toxicologists.

The researchers hypothesized that there would be a significant difference between the two assessments. This prospective observational study occurred between May 2009 and March 2010 in the emergency department (ED) of the Royal Perth Hospital, Australia.

Any patient with DSP was eligible for inclusion in the study once they were deemed fit for discharge, and if they consented they were asked to fill in a questionnaire which included a variety of questions covering their current overdose, previous history of DSP, and alcohol and substance use.

One question related specifically to their perceptions of the potential danger of their current overdose and asked them to rate their perceived risk of death on a visual analogue scale (VAS), with 10 being ‘certain to cause death’ and 0 being ‘would be harmless’. The questionnaire also included the Pierce suicide intent scale (SIS), which is a validated tool used in psychiatry to assess suicidal intent.