Substance use and self-harm: a cross-sectional study of the prevalence, correlates and patterns of medical service utilisation among patients admitted to a South African hospital

Table 3 Comparison of stated intention and reason, previous attempts, and impulsivity, by acute use of substances

Variable	Yes ^an = 48 (%)	No ^bn = 190 (%)	χ²	df	p-value	OR (CI)
Stated Intention
To regulate the behaviour of someone else	6 (12.5)	49 (25.8)	3.81	1	0.051
To regulate emotional state	3 (6.3)	22 (11.6)	1.16	1	0.429
To escape a situation	11 (22.9)	37 (19.5)	0.282	1	0.595
To communicate something (e.g. distress)	13 (27.1)	69 (36.3)	1.45	1	0.229
Mistake	5 (10.4)	9 (4.74)	2.23	1	0.135
Chronic physical pain/illness	1 (2.1)	2 (1.05)	0.327	1	0.493
Not known	5 (10.4)	10 (5.26)	1.72	1	0.192
Suicidal self-injury (i.e., ‘to die’ as one of their reasons)
To die	21 (43.8)	60 (31.6)	2.53	1	0.126
Other	22 (45.8)	118 (62.1)	4.19	1	0.041
Not known	5 (10.4)	12 (6.32)	0.972	1	0.324
Stated Reason
Financial concerns	13 (27.1)	34 (17.9)	2.04	1	0.153
Friendship/Marital/romantic relationship issues	16 (33.3)	58 (30.5)	0.141	1	0.707
Family conflict	11 (22.9)	76 (40.0)	4.82	1	0.028	2.24 (1.02–5.00)
Social issues (i.e., isolation, friendship problems, legal issues)	2 (4.2)	10 (5.26)	31.3	1	0.000	24.7 (4.79–170.9)
Medical illness	6 (12.5)	12 (6.32)	2.10	1	0.148
Psychiatric illness	8 (16.7)	28 (14.7)	0.111	1	0.739
Bereavement	3 (6.3)	7 (3.68)	0.627	1	0.426
Academic concerns	2 (4.2)	13 (6.84)	0.464	1	0.742
Unplanned pregnancy	0	3 (1.58)
Not known	7 (14.6)	22 (11.6)	0.323	1	0.570
Previous attempt of self-harm					0.340
Previous attempt	22 (45.8)	67 (35.3)
No previous attempt	11 (22.9)	58 (30.5)
Not known	15 (31.3)	65 (34.2)
Impulsive act					0.382
Yes	9 (18.8)	47 (24.7)
No	39 (79.2)	143 (75.3)

Total sample = 238. Chi-square statistics were calculated for categorical variables: stated intention, stated reason, previous attempt of self-harm, and impulsive act
^an = 48; ^bn = 190

ISSN: 1472-6963