Attempted suicide.

This study describes the changing patterns of adult self-poisoning in East Cheshire between 1970 and 1975. Six hundred and ninety episodes were analysed. It was found that the percentage of acute medical admissions due to self-poisoning increased during the five years: it doubled for females and trebled for males. The average annual incidence of self-poisoning was one per 600 q# th$ population, a rate lower than that in the ckim. ft was most common in females under 25 ycsars of age, the divorced and single, the unempl&y«t, urban dwellers, previous self-poisoners, and social classes 4 and 5. In a third of the patients jt followed a quarrel with a sexual partner. The risk of unconsciousness in¬ creased with age arrd occurred in over half the patients aged between 65 and 74 years. The mortality rate was almost the same for repeaters as non-repeaters.seven per cent overall. Half of the patients presented at the accident and emerg¬ ency department within two hours of taking the poison. It is recommended that the medical records of patients with multiple self-poisoning risk factors be identified with temporary stickers.