Don’t panic: Five key steps to managing adolescent self-harm in primary care

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MENTAL HEALTH

Don’t panic: Five key steps to managing adolescent self-harm in primary care

15 December 2021

By Hiran Thabrew

Wednesday 15 December 2021, 12:12 AM

Village is a soon-to-be-released communication app to support young people experiencing self-harm [Image: Supplied]

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of self-harm among young people and demand for specialist services have increased. This article reviews how you can address self-harm in primary care

Key points, Recognition of self-harm is probably the most important action and should be followed by acknowledgement. Education about self-harm is likely to be , Pract Green w Pale Yellow

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References

Clark T, Fleming T, Bullen P, et al. Health and well-being of secondary school students in New Zealand: trends between 2001, 2007 and 2012. J Paediatr Child Health 2013;49(11):925–34.

Fleming T, Tiatia-Seath J, Peiris-John R, et al. Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey, Initial Findings: Hauora Hinengaro / Emotional and Mental Health. The Youth19 Research Group, The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington, NZ; 2020.

Thabrew H, Gandeza E, Bahr G, et al. The management of young people who self-harm by New Zealand Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: cutting-edge or cutting corners? Australas Psychiatry 2018;26(2):152–59.

Mars B, Heron J, Crane C, et al. Clinical and social outcomes of adolescent self harm: population based birth cohort study. BMJ 2014;349:g5954.

Whitlock J, Muehlenkamp J, Eckenrode J, et al. Nonsuicidal self-injury as a gateway to suicide in young adults. J Adolesc Health 2013;52(4):486–92.

Thabrew H, Corter A, Goodyear-Smith F, et al. Randomized trial comparing the electronic composite psychosocial screener YouthCHAT with a clinician-interview assessment for young people: A study protocol. JMIR Res Protoc 2017;6(7):e135.

Thabrew H, Kumar H, Goldfinch M, et al. Repeated psychosocial screening of high school students using YouthCHAT: cohort study. JMIR Pediatr Parent 2020;3(2):e20976.

Merry SN, Stasiak K, Shepherd M, et al. The effectiveness of SPARX, a computerised self help intervention for adolescents seeking help for depression: randomised controlled non-inferiority trial. BMJ 2012;344:e2598.

Serlachius A, Boggiss A, Lim D, et al. Pilot study of a well-being app to support New Zealand young people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Internet Interv 2021;26:100464.

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