Adolescent Risk Of Self-Harm Greater If Parent Dies Of Cancer.

Reuters (12/5, Seaman) reports that according to a study published online Dec. 3 in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, one in five adolescents whose parent has died of cancer may self-harm either by burning or cutting themselves. In contrast, only one in 10 adolescents with both parents living will engage in such behavior.

MedPage Today (12/5, Bankhead) reports that the study “authors identified several factors that had statistically significant associations with self-injury in both groups: female sex — OR 3.2; bullying before age 13 — OR 2.8; physical/sexual abuse — OR 6.5; low family cohesion — OR 3.2; no one to share joys/sorrows — OR 1.8; any childhood psychiatric morbidity — OR 9.0; deliberately harming others during a menstrual period — OR 2.9; attempted suicide/endangering own life — OR 6.0; [and] self-injury prior to 2000 — OR 11.7.” Researchers arrived at these conclusions after reviewing “government records of individuals born in Sweden from 1936 to 1973 and who died of cancer during 2000 through 2003.”

Related Links:

— “After parent’s cancer death, one in five kids self-injure, ” Andrew M. Seaman, Reuters, December 5, 2012.

Posted in In The News.