Dataset Information

An emergency department intervention for linking pediatric suicidal patients to follow-up mental health treatment.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents. Many suicidal youths treated in emergency departments do not receive follow-up treatment as advocated by the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Two strategies for improving rates of follow-up treatment were compared.

Methods

In a randomized controlled trial, suicidal youths at two emergency departments (N=181; ages ten to 18) were individually assigned between April 2003 and August 2005 to one of two conditions: an enhanced mental health intervention involving a family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy session designed to increase motivation for follow-up treatment and safety, supplemented by care linkage telephone contacts after emergency department discharge, or usual emergency department care enhanced by provider education. Assessments were conducted at baseline and approximately two months after discharge from the emergency department or hospital. The primary outcome measure was rates of outpatient mental health treatment after discharge.

Results

Intervention patients were significantly more likely than usual care patients to attend outpatient treatment (92% versus 76%; p=.004). The intervention group also had significantly higher rates of psychotherapy (76% versus 49%; p=.001), combined psychotherapy and medication (58% versus 37%; p=.003), and psychotherapy visits (mean 5.3 versus 3.1; p=.003). Neither the emergency department intervention nor community outpatient treatment (in exploratory analyses) was significantly associated with improved clinical or functioning outcomes.

Conclusions

Results support efficacy of the enhanced emergency department intervention for improving linkage to outpatient mental health treatment but underscore the need for improved community outpatient treatment to prevent suicide, suicide attempts, and poor clinical and functioning outcomes for suicidal youths treated in emergency departments.

SUBMITTER: Asarnow JR

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3251923 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

An emergency department intervention for linking pediatric suicidal patients to follow-up mental health treatment.

Asarnow Joan Rosenbaum JR Baraff Larry J LJ Berk Michele M Grob Charles S CS Devich-Navarro Mona M Suddath Robert R Piacentini John C JC Rotheram-Borus Mary Jane MJ Cohen Daniel D Tang Lingqi L

Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) 20111101 11

<h4>Objective</h4>Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents. Many suicidal youths treated in emergency departments do not receive follow-up treatment as advocated by the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. Two strategies for improving rates of follow-up treatment were compared.<h4>Methods</h4>In a randomized controlled trial, suicidal youths at two emergency departments (N=181; ages ten to 18) were individually assigned between April 2003 and August 2005 to one of two c ...[more]

PMID: 22211209

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Project description:Importance:Suicidal behavior is a major public health problem in the United States. The suicide rate has steadily increased over the past 2 decades; middle-aged men and military veterans are at particularly high risk. There is a dearth of empirically supported brief intervention strategies to address this problem in health care settings generally and particularly in emergency departments (EDs), where many suicidal patients present for care. Objective:To determine whether the Safety Planning Intervention (SPI), administered in EDs with follow-up contact for suicidal patients, was associated with reduced suicidal behavior and improved outpatient treatment engagement in the 6 months following discharge, an established high-risk period. Design, Setting, and Participants:Cohort comparison design with 6-month follow-up at 9 EDs (5 intervention sites and 4 control sites) in Veterans Health Administration hospital EDs. Patients were eligible for the study if they were 18 years or older, had an ED visit for a suicide-related concern, had inpatient hospitalization not clinically indicated, and were able to read English. Data were collected between 2010 and 2015; data were analyzed between 2016 and 2018. Interventions:The intervention combines SPI and telephone follow-up. The SPI was defined as a brief clinical intervention that combined evidence-based strategies to reduce suicidal behavior through a prioritized list of coping skills and strategies. In telephone follow-up, patients were contacted at least 2 times to monitor suicide risk, review and revise the SPI, and support treatment engagement. Main Outcomes and Measures:Suicidal behavior and behavioral health outpatient services extracted from medical records for 6 months following ED discharge. Results:Of the 1640 total patients, 1186 were in the intervention group and 454 were in the comparison group. Patients in the intervention group had a mean (SD) age of 47.15 (14.89) years and 88.5% were men (n?=?1050); patients in the comparison group had a mean (SD) age of 49.38 (14.47) years and 88.1% were men (n?=?400). Patients in the SPI+ condition were less likely to engage in suicidal behavior (n?=?36 of 1186; 3.03%) than those receiving usual care (n?=?24 of 454; 5.29%) during the 6-month follow-up period. The SPI+ was associated with 45% fewer suicidal behaviors, approximately halving the odds of suicidal behavior over 6 months (odds ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33-0.95, P?=?.03). Intervention patients had more than double the odds of attending at least 1 outpatient mental health visit (odds ratio, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.57-2.71; P?<?.001). Conclusions and Relevance:This large-scale cohort comparison study found that SPI+ was associated with a reduction in suicidal behavior and increased treatment engagement among suicidal patients following ED discharge and may be a valuable clinical tool in health care settings.

Project description:IntroductionHundreds of children suffer burn injuries each day, yet care guidelines regarding the need for acute inpatient treatment vs outpatient follow-up vs no required follow-up remain nebulous. This gap in the literature is particularly salient for the emergency clinician, who must be able to rapidly determine appropriate disposition.MethodsThis was a retrospective review of patients presenting to a Level II pediatric trauma center, January 1, 2017-December 31, 2019, and discharged with an International Classification of Diseases, Rev 10, burn diagnosis. We obtained and analyzed demographics, burn characteristics, and follow-up data using univariate and bivariate analysis as well as logistic regression modeling. Patients were stratified into three outcome groups: group 1-patients who underwent emergent evaluation at a burn center or were admitted at their first follow-up appointment; group 2-patients who followed up at a burn center (as an outpatient) or at the emergency department (and were discharged home); and group 3-patients with no known follow-up.ResultsA total of 572 patients were included in this study; 58.9% of patients were 1-5 years of age. Sixty-five patients met group 1 criteria, 189 patients met group 2 criteria, and 318 patients met group 3 criteria. Sixty-five percent of patients met at least one American Burn Association criteria, and 79% of all burns were second-degree burns. Flame and scald burns were associated with increased odds (odds ratio [OR] 1.21, OR 1.12) of group 1 vs group 2 + group 3 (P = 0.02, P < 0.001). Second/third-degree burns and concern for non-accidental trauma were also associated with increased odds of group 1 vs 2 or 3 (OR = 1.11, 1.35, P ≤ 0.001, 0.001, respectively). Scald burns were associated with increased odds of group 2 compared to group 3 (OR 1.11, P = 0.04). Second/third degree burns were also associated with increased odds of group 2 vs 3 (OR 1.19, P ≤ 0.001).ConclusionThere were few statistically significant variables strongly associated with group 1 (emergent treatment/admission) vs group 2 (follow-up/outpatient treatment) vs group 3 (no follow- up). However, one notable finding in this study was the association of scald burns with treatment (admission or follow-up) suggesting that the presence of a scald burn in a child may signify to clinicians that a burn center consult is warranted.

Project description:ImportanceEmergency department (ED) visits present opportunities to identify and refer suicidal youth for outpatient mental health care, although this practice is not routine.ObjectiveTo examine whether a motivational interviewing-based intervention increases linkage of adolescents to outpatient mental health services and reduces depression symptoms and suicidal ideation in adolescents seeking emergency care for non-mental health-related concerns who screen positive for suicide risk.Design, setting, and participantsIn this randomized clinical trial, adolescents aged 12 to 17 years who screened positive on the Ask Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ) during a nonpsychiatric ED visit at 2 academic pediatric EDs in Ohio were recruited from April 2013 to July 2015. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed from September 2018 to October 2019.InterventionsThe Suicidal Teens Accessing Treatment After an Emergency Department Visit (STAT-ED) intervention included motivational interviewing to target family engagement, problem solving, referral assistance, and limited case management. The enhanced usual care (EUC) intervention consisted of brief mental health care consultation and referral.Main outcomes and measuresPrimary outcomes were mental health treatment initiation and attendance within 2 months of ED discharge and suicidal ideation (assessed by the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire JR) and depression symptoms (assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale) at 2 and 6 months. Exploratory outcomes included treatment initiation and attendance and suicide attempts at 6 months.ResultsA total of 168 participants were randomized and 159 included in the intention-to-treat analyses (mean [SD] age, 15.0 [1.5] years; 126 [79.2%] female; and 80 [50.3%] white). Seventy-nine participants were randomized to receive the STAT-ED intervention and 80 to receive EUC. At 2 months, youth in the STAT-ED group had similar rates of mental health treatment initiation compared with youth in the EUC group as assessed by parent report (29 [50.9%] vs 22 [34.9%]; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.08; 95% CI, 0.97-4.45) and administrative data from mental health care agencies (19 [29.7%] vs 11 [19.3%]; adjusted OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 0.76-4.15). At 2 months, youth in the STAT-ED group and the EUC group had similar rates of treatment attendance (1 appointment: 6 [9.7%] vs 2 [3.6%]; adjusted OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 0.56-15.73; ≥2 appointments: 10 [16.1%] vs 7 [12.7%]; adjusted OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 0.50-4.11). There were no significant group × time differences in suicidal ideation (F = 0.28; P = .72) and depression symptoms (F = 0.49; P = .60) during the 6-month follow-up period. In exploratory analyses, at 6 months, STAT-ED participants had significantly higher rates of agency-reported mental health treatment initiation (adjusted OR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.16-5.28) and more completed appointments (t99.7 = 2.58; P = .01).Conclusions and relevanceThis study's findings indicate that no differences were found on any primary outcome by study condition. However, STAT-ED was more efficacious than EUC at increasing mental health treatment initiation and attendance at 6 months.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01779414.

Project description:ImportanceMany children and adolescents in the United States are exposed to neighborhood gun violence. Associations between violence exposure and children's short-term mental health are not well understood.ObjectiveTo examine the association between neighborhood gun violence and subsequent mental health-related pediatric emergency department (ED) utilization.Design, setting, and participantsThis location-based cross-sectional study included 128 683 ED encounters for children aged 0 to 19 years living in 12 zip codes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who presented to an urban academic pediatric ED from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018. Children were included if they (1) had 1 or more ED visits in the 60 days before or after a neighborhood shooting and (2) lived within a quarter-mile radius of the location where this shooting occurred. Analysis began August 2020 and ended May 2021.ExposureNeighborhood violence exposure, as measured by whether a patient resided near 1 or more episodes of police-reported gun violence.Main outcomes and measuresED encounters for a mental health-related chief complaint or primary diagnosis.ResultsA total of 2629 people were shot in the study area between 2014 and 2018, and 54 341 children living nearby had 1 or more ED visits within 60 days of a shooting. The majority of these children were Black (45 946 [84.5%]) and were insured by Medicaid (42 480 [78.1%]). After adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity, median household income by zip code, and insurance, children residing within one-eighth of a mile (2-3 blocks) of a shooting had greater odds of mental health-related ED presentations in the subsequent 14 days (adjusted odds ratio, 1.86 [95% CI, 1.20-2.88]), 30 days (adjusted odds ratio, 1.49 [95% CI, 1.11-2.03]), and 60 days (adjusted odds ratio, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.06-1.72]).Conclusions and relevanceExposure to neighborhood gun violence is associated with an increase in children's acute mental health symptoms. City health departments and pediatric health care systems should work together to provide community-based support for children and families exposed to violence and trauma-informed care for the subset of these children who subsequently present to the ED. Policies aimed at reducing children's exposure to neighborhood gun violence and mitigating the mental symptoms associated with gun violence exposure must be a public health priority.

Dataset Information

An emergency department intervention for linking pediatric suicidal patients to follow-up mental health treatment.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

An emergency department intervention for linking pediatric suicidal patients to follow-up mental health treatment.

Similar Datasets

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