Using repeated cross-sectional surveys to measure trends in rates of self-harm /
While longitudinal cohort studies are great for tracking change over time within individuals, repeated cross-sectional surveys are better for measuring prevalence and change over time at the population level. I examined data from three national mental health surveys carried out in England in 2000, 2...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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London :
SAGE Publications Ltd,
2020.
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| Series: | SAGE Research Methods Cases : Medicine and Health.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to the full text of this electronic book |
| Summary: | While longitudinal cohort studies are great for tracking change over time within individuals, repeated cross-sectional surveys are better for measuring prevalence and change over time at the population level. I examined data from three national mental health surveys carried out in England in 2000, 2007, and 2014 to test whether the prevalence of self-harm had risen. While health service statistics had shown an increased demand for treatment because of self-harming, it was not clear if this reflected an increase in the behavior, an increase in treatment seeking, or a mix of both. Most people who self-harm do not seek treatment and so service data--which many researchers rely on--provide a partial picture. To establish meaningful temporal trends, we need comparable measures collected from consistently defined samples. This analysis of a series of cross-sectional surveys revealed a steep increase in the prevalence of self-harm in the English population. The upward trend was evident in all age groups, and in both men and women, with the most recent rates highest in young women. It is, however, important to recognize that mental health has become less stigmatized and awareness of self-harming as a behavior has increased in England, which could have led to more participants feeling able to report this behavior. This is one factor to consider, alongside others, when interpreting temporal trends drawn from repeated cross-sectional surveys like these. |
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| Physical Description: | 1 online resource : illustrations. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781529733679 1529733677 |