Deliberate self-poisoning in France: A nationwide analysis of 927,945 suicide attempt hospitalizations from 2013 to 2022

Deliberate self-poisoning (DSP) is the leading method of nonfatal suicide attempts (SAs), yet substance-specific patterns, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes remain poorly characterized at the population level. This retrospective nationwide cohort study analyzed all SA hospitalizations recorded in the French National Health Insurance Database (SNDS) from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2022. Hospitalizations were identified using ICD-10 codes for self-harm (X60–X84) and further classified by substances involved (X60–X69, T36–T65). Demographic, socioeconomic, psychiatric, and somatic profiles of DSP were compared with non-DSP attempts. Within DSP, analyses were stratified by substance categories and pharmacological classes. Outcomes included ICU admission, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Of 927,945 hospitalizations for suicide attempts, 82.8% involved DSP. Patients with DSP were older (41 years [24; 53]) and more often female (63.5%) compared with other methods (32 years [17; 51]; 51.8% female; both p < .001). Psychiatric comorbidity was highly prevalent, with mood disorders (29.9%) and substance use disorders (28.3%) most frequent. Sedatives and psychotropic drugs accounted for 55.2% of DSP, followed by analgesics (11.0%) and alcohol (3.7%). Poly-ingestion occurred in 11.3% of cases, most often involving benzodiazepines, which appeared in nearly all major combinations. In-hospital mortality was 0.5% overall but highest with pesticides (4.1%) and organic solvents (2.6%). ICU admission was required in 9.0% of DSP cases, with peaks for organic solvents (18.9%) and autonomic agents (18.3%).