Travel Distance to Hospital Is Associated with Self-Harm Hospital Presentation but Not Suicide: A Small-Area Study from New Taipei City, Taiwan

Ya Lun Liang, Chien Yu Lin, Yu Mei Gao, David Gunnell, Chia Yueh Hsu, Shu Sen Chang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Travel distance to hospital emergency departments (EDs) may be a more influential factor in the spatial variation in hospital-presenting self-harm than for suicide deaths. Aims: We investigated the associations of travel distance to the nearest ED with selfharm hospital presentations and suicides in a large city in Taiwan. Method: Data for self-harm and suicide were extracted from Taiwan s National Suicide Surveillance System (2012-2016). Results: Adjusted analyses using Bayesian hierarchical models showed that a longer travel distance to the nearest hospital ED was associated with lower self-harm hospital presentation rates but not suicide rates. Limitations: This is an ecological study; the area-level associations could not be directly implied at the individual level. Conclusion: Living in remote neighborhoods could be a barrier to seeking medical help after self-harm, and this has implications for suicide, surveillance, prevention and intervention strategies.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)308-313
Number of pages6
JournalCrisis
Volume45
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 1 2024

Keywords

  • area-level characteristics
  • spatial analysis
  • travel distance to hospital emergency department

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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