A COMPARISON OF THE BACKGROUNDS OF FIRST TIME AND REPEATED OVERDOSE PATIENTS

This study examines the differences between two groups of parasuicide patients: 'first-timers' (patients admitted to hospital following thei r first overdose) and 'repeaters' (patients admitted with an overdose who had made at least one previous suicide attempt). The two patient g roups were compared for factors known to increase the risk of parasuic ide as well as for the experience of self-reported past sexual abuse a nd for symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Out of a tot al of 100 patients interviewed, seven (15%) of first-timers gave a his tory of sexual abuse and complained of an average of 0.55 symptoms of PTSD. Among repeaters, 28 (53%) gave a history of sexual abuse and com plained of an average of 1.84 symptoms of PTSD. Both results were stat istically significant at P < 0.001.