Health trends
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New community-based preventive initiatives are required if a reduction in deliberate self-poisoning is to be achieved. Local epidemiological data can be used in a health education approach, directed at professionals who have the most contact with potential cases of deliberate self-poisoning and also to those people falling within identified high-risk groups. Such initiatives require defined outcome measures and a number are proposed. The implications for data collection on deliberate self-poisoning are discussed.
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A number of reports have suggested that the incidence of deliberate self-harm has been declining since the late 1970s. Most of these findings have emerged from studies of hospital inpatients, but a large proportion of patients are sent home directly from Accident and Emergency Departments. ⋯ It is argued that age-specific trends, based on inpatient statistics, could be distorted by Accident and Emergency discharges. It is recommended that future epidemiological studies of deliberate self-harm include patients who progress no further than the Accident and Emergency Department.
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The Medical Manpower and Education Division of the Department of Health publishes information in this Journal each year on the current state of medical and dental manpower in England and Wales, to assist medical and dental students and newly-qualified doctors and dentists in their career choices. Additional information can be obtained from the national and regional census tables which are usually published by the Department of Health each Autumn. ⋯ Information based on census data is useful, but is always for the previous year. It should be used to consider trends in medical manpower prospects.