Analysis on quality of life, anxiety, and depression of diquat self-poisoning after returning to the community: a follow-up study

Objective Pesticide self-poisoning is a major global public health issue, yet the post-discharge mental health of survivors remains poorly characterized. To investigate the physical and mental health among survivors of diquat self-poisoning after returning to the community, which informs the effective prevention and intervention measures of repeated suicide. Methods A follow-up study of 25 patients with acute diquat self-poisoning was enrolled from Guangzhou twelfth people’s hospital during 2017 to 2023. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated using the MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), and anxiety and depression were, respectively, assessed using Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and ‌Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scales. Results Twenty-five (25) diquat self-poisoning patients were enrolled in a follow-up study, with a median follow-up of 1.58 person-years. Most participants had low scores in mental health of the HRQoL survey, with a median score was 108.15. In SF-36 domains, only Role Physical (RP) scored significantly lower in the high-dose group ( p = 0.04). Persistent neurological issues (fatigue, forgetfulness, headache) were the primary physical complaints. HRQoL total scores were significantly shaped by sleep duration, history of major trauma, left-behind child status, and psychological symptoms ( p < 0.05). Anxiety and depression symptoms had high prevalent rates of 56 and 68%, respectively. Stratified analysis by toxic dose [low-dose (≤ 50 mL, n = 12) vs. high-dose (> 50 mL, n = 13)] revealed no statistically significant differences in anxiety or depression rates. Conclusion Diquat self-poisoning survivors may experience persistent physical and psychological health difficulties after returning to the community, warranting further attention. The findings highlighted that prevention of repeated self-harm is still necessary among at-risk populations after returning to the community, particularly adolescents and young adults.