The Applicability of Linehan Risk Assessment Scale: a Cross-Sectional Study from Alexandria Poison Centre, Egypt, During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Suicide is a critical health problem that is significantly rising during the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, yet it is still under-reported in Egypt. To date, a deficiency of a reliable scale to probe the risk factors underlying suicide liability among patients with deliberate self-poisoning. The study’s objective was to offer a snapshot of the pattern of self- poisoning in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Using the Linehan Risk Assessment and Management Protocol LRAMP, a psychological assessment was applied to evaluate vulnerable patients needing urgent psychiatric support and emphasize the influence of previous suicidal behaviors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients admitted to Alexandria Poison Centre with deliberate self-poisoning biosocial and poisoning data that were recorded in a specially designed sheet. All patients were interviewed for underlying risk factors and protective factors for suicidal behavior. RESULTS: Significant relation was recorded between previous suicidal attempts and psychiatric diseases. CNS depressant drugs and rodenticides recorded the highest frequency. The calculated score (suicide and protective factors) was higher in patients with previous suicidal attempts. CONCLUSION: The study was the first to test the applicability of Linehan scale in Alexandria Poison Centre. The results are promising; however, multicenter replication of the concluded findings will be valuable.