Predictive factors for exposure to severe hospital-treated physical and sexual assaults. A study of former psychiatric adolescent inpatients in Northern Finland
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Auditorium 1, Building PT1 of the Department of Psychiatry (Peltolantie 17)
Topic of the dissertation
Predictive factors for exposure to severe hospital-treated physical and sexual assaults. A study of former psychiatric adolescent inpatients in Northern Finland
Doctoral candidate
Licentiate of Medicine Lauri Oulasmaa
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience
Subject of study
Psychiatry
Opponent
Professor Riittakerttu Kaltiala, Tampere University
Custos
Professor Pirkko Riipinen, University of Oulu
Predictive factors for severe assault exposure among former psychiatric adolescent inpatients
Hospital-treated assault exposures are common among former adolescent psychiatric inpatients
This thesis examined the predictive factors for hospital-treated physical and sexual assaults among former adolescent psychiatric inpatients. The study population consisted of 508 adolescents aged between 13 and 17, who were admitted to psychiatric inpatient treatment at the Oulu University Hospital between 2001 and 2006. After the psychiatric hospitalization, follow-up information on assault exposures requiring hospital treatment were extracted from the national Care Register for Health Care (CRHC) for following 10–15 years. The results revealed that one seventh of study participants had received hospital treatment due to severe assault exposure up to young adulthood. In males, anxiety disorder and non-suicidal self-injury were observed to increase the likelihood of assault exposure, whereas in females, bullying, living in child welfare placement, and personality disorders were identified as predictors for assault exposure. In addition, aggressivity and criminality were also associated with increased assault exposure risk. The results of this study can be used in identifying vulnerable adolescents, as well as in designing and targeting relevant interventions to prevent assault exposures.
This thesis examined the predictive factors for hospital-treated physical and sexual assaults among former adolescent psychiatric inpatients. The study population consisted of 508 adolescents aged between 13 and 17, who were admitted to psychiatric inpatient treatment at the Oulu University Hospital between 2001 and 2006. After the psychiatric hospitalization, follow-up information on assault exposures requiring hospital treatment were extracted from the national Care Register for Health Care (CRHC) for following 10–15 years. The results revealed that one seventh of study participants had received hospital treatment due to severe assault exposure up to young adulthood. In males, anxiety disorder and non-suicidal self-injury were observed to increase the likelihood of assault exposure, whereas in females, bullying, living in child welfare placement, and personality disorders were identified as predictors for assault exposure. In addition, aggressivity and criminality were also associated with increased assault exposure risk. The results of this study can be used in identifying vulnerable adolescents, as well as in designing and targeting relevant interventions to prevent assault exposures.
Last updated: 23.1.2024