The experiences of emergency hospital care among adolescents and young adults with self-harm: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative evidence

Question: The incidence of self-injurious behavior in adolescents and young adults is on the rise. Seeking care in the emergency department after self-injurious behavior is one way they signal for help. The purpose of this systematic evaluation was to synthesize the best available qualitative research evidence on young people's experiences of emergency department visits following self-harm behaviors and their need for emergency medical services.Study selection and analysis: Eleven databases were retrieved with predefined search terms from database construction to February 4, 2022. Literature was screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria and quality assessment.Findings: Eleven studies yielded fifty-five findings that were summarized into eight categories and aggregated into three composite statements: (1) positive emergency department experience; (2) negative emergency department experience; and (3) desire for help.Conclusions: Young people with a history of self-injurious behavior have a mixed sense of experience in the emergency department. The sense of negative experience makes patients feel dissatisfied and disappointed with healthcare services, and positive experiences can help them seek further help. The emergency departments should improve the diagnosis and treatment model of self-injured adolescent patients to ensure that they receive effective and high-quality medical resources.