ArticleBMC medicine2026
Non-suicidal self-injury and other key predictors of suicide deaths among children and adolescents in England: a population-based case-control study.
Article in BMC medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSuicide is a leading cause of mortality in young people globally. A history of prior self-harm, with or without suicidal intent, is associated with increased risks of future suicide attempts (SAs) or suicides. While non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is likely a predictor of SA, its particular association to suicide deaths remains unexplored.
methodsThis is a population-based case-control study in England. Cases were all individuals who died by suicide before their 18th birthday (n = 240), between April 2019 and March 2021. Controls (n = 240) were age- and sex-matched individuals who died from other unexpected causes. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios for self-harm history and other risk factors, adjusting for ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation. A fully adjusted multivariable model was formed to estimate associations between each risk factor and suicide death, adjusting for all measured factors.
resultsA history of NSSI was strongly associated with subsequent suicide death (partially adjusted OR, 27.8; 95% CI, 9.5-81.0; fully adjusted OR, 9.2; 95% CI, 2.1-39.5). The association remained significant in sensitivity analyses restricted to those with only NSSI history without SA (partially adjusted OR, 7.7; 95% CI, 3.6-16.5). History of SA was also significant (adjusted OR, 64.2; 95% CI, 8.8-468; fully adjusted OR, 12.3; 95% CI, 0.4-357). Notably, 42.6% of suicides occurred in individuals without previous self-harm, and 71% of suicides occurred on the first documented act of intentional self-injury or self-poisoning. MDMA was recorded in 14 suicide cases, and alcohol use in 34 suicide cases, regardless of whether the intake resulted in overdose. Fully adjusted model found that known NSSI history, known suicidal ideation history, and bullying victimization remained independently associated with suicide death.
conclusionsNSSI and SA are both major predictors for suicide in young people. Risk assessments should aim to include all significant factors. These findings highlight the need for holistic clinical screening for all forms of self-harm regardless of intent, indicated suicide prevention intervention for those identified, and enhanced access to mental health services.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.