Engagement of individuals with first suicide attempts in the initial outpatient psychiatric appointment after emergency department discharge: A retrospective multicenter cohort study

Introduction: Only 10–50% of individuals who attempt suicide attend the outpatient appointment scheduled at emergency discharge, and no specific data are available for individuals with a first suicide attempt. This study aimed to quantify the proportion of individuals with a first suicide attempt who attended their initial outpatient psychiatric appointment and to compare the characteristics of attendees and non-attendees.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted using the medical records of individuals with a first suicide attempt who were seen in the psychiatric emergency departments of Dinan and Saint-Brieuc in 2022. Results: Only 21.7% (95% confidence interval: 10.9–36.4) attended the scheduled outpatient appointment. Among the attendees, 70% were men, 80% were aged 18–44 years, 60% had attempted suicide by intentional self-poisoning, and 60% had no prior psychiatric follow-up. Attendance at the first appointment was more frequent among individuals with a first suicide attempt whose appointment was scheduled by a psychiatric emergency healthcare professional before discharge and who had a shorter waiting time than non-attendees. Conclusion: These findings among individuals with a first suicide attempt are consistent with the literature on individuals who attempt suicide. The results suggest that first outpatient appointments scheduled before discharge and with a shorter waiting time may be associated with higher attendance rates at the initial outpatient follow-up appointment.