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Brief Admission Skane: Replacing General Admission for Individuals With Self-harm and Acute Risk of Suicide

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Suicide, Attempted
Suicidal Ideation
Borderline Personality Disorder
Self-Injurious Behavior
Emergency Services, Psychiatric
Interventions
Other: Brief Admission
Registration Number
NCT02985047
Lead Sponsor
Region Skane
Brief Summary

The purpose of the study is to test a standardized version of brief admission (BA) through randomized controlled trial (RCT). The main objective is to evaluate if BA can serve as a crisis management model for individuals with recurrent self-harm, including suicide attempts and at least three symptoms of Borderline Personality disorder. Participants will be allocated to BA + Treatment as Usual (TAU) or TAU.

Detailed Description

When individuals with recurrent self-harm and suicidal behaviour seek acute admission to hospital due to a crisis and associated increased suicidal ideation, recommendations for clinical care are still conflicting. The risk for iatrogenic effects of inpatient care are considerable, and long hospital admissions without a clear treatment structure may predict decompensation in functioning. This has resulted in a clinical practice of avoiding admission for individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

Brief admission (BA) as an intervention has a longstanding history in the delivery of mental health services in the Netherlands. The core elements of brief admission were determined through consultation with Dutch researchers, interviews with individuals with experience, Dutch clinicians familiar with Brief Admission, and local guidelines from hospitals familiar with implementing this crisis management intervention. Core elements of the intervention were standardized into a protocol, and an educational manual was developed to train clinicians involved in the trial. An objectively rated fidelity measure was developed in order to ensure adherence.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
125
Inclusion Criteria
  • Current episodes of self-harm and/or recurrent suicidality.
  • Fulfilling at least three criteria for borderline personality disorder.
  • Admitted to psychiatric hospital for acute care for at least 7 days or presenting to the psychiatric emergency department at least 3 times during the last six months.
Exclusion Criteria
  • No regular contact with outpatient psychiatric services.
  • Homelessness. Housing crises are outside the scope of this RCT.
  • Medical disorder from other organs that significantly contributes to inclusion criteria (e.g. if self-harm only occurs during episodes of hypoglycemia in a diabetic patient).

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Brief AdmissionBrief AdmissionParticipants randomised to Brief admission (BA) will have the possibility of admitting themselves to hospital for a maximum duration of three consecutive days at a maximum frequency of three times per month. Apart from BA they have access to all psychiatric care that they would have if they had not participated in the study (including general admission to hospital).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of days with hospital admissionChange between the period from 12 month retrospectively to Baseline and the period from baseline to 12 months prospectively

Number of days with Brief admission, general admission, forced (involuntary) admission

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Severity of self-harming behavioursChange in severity between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

Outcome from Five Self-Harm Behaviour Groupings Measure (5S-HM)

Frequency of forced acts (e.g. restraints and forced medication)Change between the period from 12 month retrospectively to Baseline and the period from baseline to 12 months prospectively
Individuals' Experiences of the interventionData collected at each Brief Admission during a period of 140 weeks. A Brief Admission is defined as a hospital admission according to the procedure defined in the Brief Admission Skane Standardised Protocol.

Outcome from the questionnaires developed for the method: Individual's Experience Scale (IES)

Clinicians' Experiences of the interventionData collected at each Brief Admission during a period of 140 weeks. A Brief Admission is defined as a hospital admission according to the procedure defined in the Brief Admission Skane Standardised Protocol.

Outcome from the questionnaires developed for the method: Clinician's Experience Scale (CES)

Frequency of all self-harming behaviours including suicide attemptsChange in frequency between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

Outcome from Five Self-Harm Behaviour Groupings Measure (5S-HM)

Level of functioning in activities of daily lifeChange in ratings between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS 2.0)

Ability to cope effectively with life stressChange in ratings between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

The Brief COPE

Global psychiatric symptomsChange in ratings between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

Outcome from Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale

Ability to regulate emotionsChange in ratings between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale

Satisfaction with health careChange in ratings between baseline, 6 months and 12 months prospectively.

Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Division of Psychiatry, Region Skåne

🇸🇪

Lund, Skåne, Sweden

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