The relation of social class to the characteristics and treatment of parasuicide

Summary

The subjects for study were all parasuicides admitted to the Regional Poisoning Treatment Centre between 1968 and 1973. The parasuicides were divided into four social class groups: Registrar General's Classes I and II; Class III; Class IV; Class V. The characteristics and disposal of parasuicides from each class were compared. A large number of items showed a significant difference across class. Lower class parasuicides were more often characterised by a variety of social problem items including overcrowding, trouble with the law, debt, unemployment and violence in interpersonal relationships. They were more often diagnosed as personality disorders whereas higher class parasuicides were more likely to be diagnosed as depressive. The latter were also more frequently referred to the R. P. T. C. by a medical agent. For higher class patients, after-care more often took the form of in- or out-patient psychiatric treatment; lower class patients were more commonly recommended for social work on discharge. The association between social class and type of after-care was maintained when the diagnostic groups were considered separately. Patients of higher social class within the categories “personality disorder only”, “depression only”, “depression with personality disorder”, “other psychiatric illness with personality disorder” were markedly more likely to receive a psychiatric referral.