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Why Dual Harm Demands Integrated Care in Forensic Psychiatry

Dual harm refers to when a patient harms themself and acts aggressively toward others or objects. When these behaviours occur together, patients often need closer monitoring and more coordinated care.

A study published in PLoS One by Mark Mohan Kaggwa, Bailea Erb, Sébastien Prat, Arianna Davids, John Bradford, Gary Chaimowitz, and Andrew Olagunju examined which factors were associated with dual harm among forensic patients in Ontario. Their findings highlight the need for integrated, trauma-informed care planning that addresses self-harm and aggression together.

Forensic Psychiatry Patients More Likely to Self-Harm After Harming Healthcare Workers, Support Staff, or Another Patient

Self-harm is a serious concern in forensic psychiatry settings, being more common there than in the general population. Recent research shows that the risk of self-harm depends more on who the patient harmed during their original offence than on the circumstances of the offence itself.