Research Article

Thoughts of suicide and self-harm: A national study on young people presenting to non-paediatric acute hospitals in Ireland

Published in: Journal of Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Volume 36 , issue 3 , 2025 , pages: 402–414

DOI: 10.2989/17280583.2025.2489157

Author(s): Katerina Kavalidou , Ireland , James O’Mahony University College Cork, Ireland , Sally-Ann Lovejoy , Ireland , Fiona McNicholas University College Dublin, Ireland , Vincent Russell , Ireland

Keywords: adolescents , emergency department , Ireland , self-harm , self-harm ideation , suicidal ideation

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Abstract

Background: In Ireland, acute hospital emergency departments (ED) become the default service for youth aged 16 to 18 years; and in the absence of paediatric EDs, for youth under 16 years. No previous research has explored adolescent presentations to non-paediatric hospitals with thoughts of self-harm or suicide at a national level.

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