The Importance of Screening Preteens for Suicide Risk in the Emergency Department.
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ABSTRACT: Objectives
To describe the prevalence of screening positive for suicide risk in a sample of 10- to 12-year-olds presenting to the emergency department (ED).Methods
Patients presenting to the ED were administered a battery of measures, including the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions and the criterion-standard Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. Answering affirmatively to any of the 4 Ask Suicide-Screening Questions and/or scoring above the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire cutoff score was considered a positive screen result for suicide risk.Results
The sample included 79 preteen patients. The overall positive screen result rate was 29.1% (23 of 79). More than half (54.1%) of patients presenting with psychiatric chief complaints screened positive for suicide risk, and 7.1% of preteens presenting with chief medical complaints screened positive. Of preteens, 17.7% (14 of 79) reported previous suicidal behavior.Conclusions
Preteens think about suicide and engage in suicidal behavior at rates that warrant further study. Notably, 7% of preteens presenting with chief medical complaints screened positive, highlighting the importance of screening all preteen patients as young as 10 years old for suicide risk in the ED.
SUBMITTER: Lanzillo EC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6434973 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
The Importance of Screening Preteens for Suicide Risk in the Emergency Department.
Lanzillo Elizabeth C EC Horowitz Lisa M LM Wharff Elizabeth A EA Sheftall Arielle H AH Pao Maryland M Bridge Jeffrey A JA
Hospital pediatrics 20190311 4
<h4>Objectives</h4>To describe the prevalence of screening positive for suicide risk in a sample of 10- to 12-year-olds presenting to the emergency department (ED).<h4>Methods</h4>Patients presenting to the ED were administered a battery of measures, including the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions and the criterion-standard Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire. Answering affirmatively to any of the 4 Ask Suicide-Screening Questions and/or scoring above the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire cutoff score w ...[more]
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Project description:IntroductionThe Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation Screening Outcome Evaluation examined whether universal suicide risk screening is feasible and effective at improving suicide risk detection in the emergency department (ED).MethodsA three-phase interrupted time series design was used: Treatment as Usual (Phase 1), Universal Screening (Phase 2), and Universal Screening + Intervention (Phase 3). Eight EDs from seven states participated from 2009 through 2014. Data collection spanned peak hours and 7 days of the week. Chart reviews established if screening for intentional self-harm ideation/behavior (screening) was documented in the medical record and whether the individual endorsed intentional self-harm ideation/behavior (detection). Patient interviews determined if the documented intentional self-harm was suicidal. In Phase 2, universal suicide risk screening was implemented during routine care. In Phase 3, improvements were made to increase screening rates and fidelity. Chi-square tests and generalized estimating equations were calculated. Data were analyzed in 2014.ResultsAcross the three phases (N=236,791 ED visit records), documented screenings rose from 26% (Phase 1) to 84% (Phase 3) (χ(2) [2, n=236,789]=71,000, p<0.001). Detection rose from 2.9% to 5.7% (χ(2) [2, n=236,789]=902, p<0.001). The majority of detected intentional self-harm was confirmed as recent suicidal ideation or behavior by patient interview.ConclusionsUniversal suicide risk screening in the ED was feasible and led to a nearly twofold increase in risk detection. If these findings remain true when scaled, the public health impact could be tremendous, because identification of risk is the first and necessary step for preventing suicide.Trial registrationEmergency Department Safety Assessmentand Follow-up Evaluation (ED-SAFE) ClinicalTrials.gov: (NCT01150994). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01150994?term=ED-SAFE&rank=1.
| S-EPMC4801719 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesTo address escalating youth suicide rates, universal suicide risk screening has been recommended in pediatric care settings. The emergency department (ED) is a particularly important setting for screening. However, EDs often fail to identify and treat mental health symptoms among youths, and data on implementation of suicide risk screening in EDs are limited. A systematic review was conducted to describe the current literature on universal suicide risk screening in EDs, identify important gaps in available studies, and develop recommendations for strategies to improve youth screening efforts.MethodsA systematic literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Web of Science was conducted. Studies focused on universal suicide risk screening of youths served in U.S. EDs that presented screening results were coded, analyzed, and evaluated for reporting quality. Eleven studies were included.ResultsAll screening efforts occurred in teaching or children's hospitals, and research staff administered suicide screens in eight studies. Thus scant information was available on universal screening in pediatric community ED settings. Large variation was noted across studies in participation rates (17%-86%) and in positive screen rates (4.1%-50.8%), although positive screen rates were influenced by type of presenting concern (psychiatric versus nonpsychiatric). Only three studies concurrently examined barriers to screening, providing little direction for effective implementation. STROBE guidelines were used to rate reporting quality, which ranged from 51.9% to 87.1%, with three studies having ratings over 80%.ConclusionsResearch is needed to better inform practice guidelines and clinical pathways and to establish sustainable screening programs for youths presenting for care in EDs.
| S-EPMC8655012 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSuicide screening is routine practice in psychiatric emergency (PE) departments, but evidence for screening instruments is sparse. Improved identification of nascent suicide risk is important for suicide prevention. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between the novel Colombia Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screen Version (C-SSRS Screen) and subsequent clinical management and suicide within 1 week, 1 month and 1 year from screening.MethodsConsecutive patients (N = 18 684) attending a PE department in Stockholm, Sweden between 1 May 2016 and 31 December 2017 were assessed with the C-SSRS Screen. All patients (52.1% women; mean age = 39.7, s.d. = 16.9) were followed-up in the National Cause of Death Register. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves analyses were conducted. Optimal cut-offs and accuracy statistics were calculated.ResultsBoth suicidal ideation and behaviour were prevalent at screening. In total, 107 patients died by suicide during follow-up. Both C-SSRS Screen Ideation Severity and Behaviour Scales were associated with death by suicide within 1-week, 1-month and 1-year follow-up. The optimal cut-off for the ideation severity scale was associated with at least four times the odds of dying by suicide within 1 week (adjusted OR 4.7, 95% confidence interval 1.5-14.8). Both scales were also associated with short-term clinical management.ConclusionsThe C-SSRS Screen may be feasible to use in the actual management setting as an initial step before the clinical assessment of suicide risk. Future research may investigate the utility of combining the C-SSRS Screen with a more thorough assessment.
| S-EPMC9811343 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Importance:According to National Patient Safety Goal 15.01.01, all individuals being treated or evaluated for behavioral health conditions as their primary reason for care in hospitals and behavioral health care organizations accredited by The Joint Commission should be screened for suicide risk using a validated tool. Existing suicide risk screens have minimal or no high-quality evidence of association with future suicide-related outcomes. Objective:To test the association between results of the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) instrument in a pediatric emergency department (ED), implemented through selective and universal screening approaches, and subsequent suicide-related outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants:In this retrospective cohort study at an urban pediatric ED in the United States, the ASQ was administered to youths aged 8 to 18 years with behavioral and psychiatric presenting problems from March 18, 2013, to December 31, 2016 (selective condition), and then to youths aged 10 to 18 years with medical presenting problems (in addition to those aged 8-18 years with behavioral and psychiatric presenting problems) from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2018 (universal condition). Exposure:Positive ASQ screen at baseline ED visit. Main Outcomes and Measures:The main outcomes were subsequent ED visits with suicide-related presenting problems (ie, ideation or attempts) based on electronic health records and death by suicide identified through state medical examiner records. Association with suicide-related outcomes was calculated over the entire study period using survival analyses and at 3-month follow-up for both conditions using relative risk. Results:The complete sample was 15 003 youths (7044 [47.0%] male; 10 209 [68.0%] black; mean [SD] age, 14.5 [3.1] years at baseline). The follow-up for the selective condition was a mean (SD) of 1133.7 (433.3) days; for the universal condition, it was 366.2 (209.2) days. In the selective condition, there were 275 suicide-related ED visits and 3 deaths by suicide. In the universal condition, there were 118 suicide-related ED visits and no deaths during the follow-up period. Adjusting for demographic characteristics and baseline presenting problem, positive ASQ screens were associated with greater risk of suicide-related outcomes among both the universal sample (hazard ratio, 6.8 [95% CI, 4.2-11.1]) and the selective sample (hazard ratio, 4.8 [95% CI, 3.5-6.5]). Conclusions and Relevance:Positive results of both selective and universal screening for suicide risk in pediatric EDs appear to be associated with subsequent suicidal behavior. Screening may be a particularly effective way to detect suicide risk among those who did not present with ideation or attempt. Future studies should examine the impact of screening in combination with other policies and procedures aimed at reducing suicide risk.
| S-EPMC6822088 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicidality and suicidal behavior among youth continues to increase significantly each year. Many of those who die by suicide interact with health services in the year before death. This systematic review sought to identify and describe empirically tested screening tools for suicidality in youth presenting to Emergency Departments (ED).Objective(1) To identify and compare existing tools used to screen for suicidality in children and adolescents who present to the ED and (2) to ascertain the prevalence of suicidality in pediatric populations found with these tools.MethodsWe searched Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, and Cochrane databases for primary research studies that identified and evaluated screening tools for suicide risk in pediatric ED patients. A total of 7,597 publications published before August 25, 2021 met search criteria and were screened by two independent reviewers based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, with any conflicts resolved via consensus meetings or an independent reviewer. A total of 110 papers were selected for full text review, of which 67 were excluded upon further inspection. Covidence was used to extract and synthesize results.Results43 articles were eligible for inclusion. Most studies (n = 33) took place in general pediatric EDs; the quality was generally high. Patients ranged from 4-24 years old, with most screening tested in patients 12 years and older. The most researched tools were the Ask-Suicide Screening Questions (ASQ) (n = 15), Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) (n = 12), Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ) (n = 11), and the Risk of Suicide Questionnaire (RSQ) (n = 7). Where screening was applied to all patients, about one-fifth of pediatric ED patients screened positive; where suicide screening was applied to psychiatric patients only, over half screened positive. Positive screens were more likely to be female and older than negative screens and they were more likely to be assessed and admitted.ConclusionSeveral validated screening tools exist for the purpose of screening pediatric populations in EDs for suicidality. Such tools may help to support early detection and appropriate intervention for youth at risk of suicide.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=276328, identifier: 276328.
| S-EPMC9314735 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to use discrete event simulation (DES) to model the impact of two universal suicide risk screening scenarios (emergency department [ED] and hospital-wide) on mean length of stay (LOS), wait times, and overflow of our secure patient care unit for patients being evaluated for a behavioral health complaint (BHC) in the ED of a large, academic children's hospital.MethodsWe developed a conceptual model of BHC patient flow through the ED, incorporating anticipated system changes with both universal suicide risk screening scenarios. Retrospective site-specific patient tracking data from 2017 were used to generate model parameters and validate model output metrics with a random 50/50 split for derivation and validation data.ResultsThe model predicted small increases (less than 1 hour) in LOS and wait times for our BHC patients in both universal screening scenarios. However, the days per year in which the ED experienced secure unit overflow increased (existing system: 52.9 days; 95% CI, 51.5-54.3 days; ED: 94.4 days; 95% CI, 92.6-96.2 days; and hospital-wide: 276.9 days; 95% CI, 274.8-279.0 days).ConclusionsThe DES model predicted that implementation of either universal suicide risk screening scenario would not severely impact LOS or wait times for BHC patients in our ED. However, universal screening would greatly stress our existing ED capacity to care for BHC patients in secure, dedicated patient areas by creating more overflow.
| S-EPMC8850173 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess whether patient-reported anxiety symptoms are associated with suicide risk in pediatric emergency department (ED) patients. An additional objective was to examine differences between patients presenting for medical/surgical or psychiatric complaints.MethodsPediatric patients aged 10 to 21 years were recruited from 3 pediatric EDs. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing for suicidal ideation and behavior, in addition to questions of interest about recent feelings of unbearable anxiety and depression. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated to assess the relationship between endorsement of recent anxiety and screening positive for suicide risk.ResultsData were analyzed from 522 participants, including 344 presenting with medical/surgical chief complaints and 178 presenting with psychiatric complaints. Overall, 28.9% of participants screened positive for suicide risk, 29.9% endorsed recent feelings of anxiety, and 24.3% endorsed recent feelings of depression. Patients who self-reported recent anxiety symptoms were 5 times more likely to screen positive for suicide risk (adjusted odds ratios = 5.18, 95% confidence interval = 3.06-8.76). Analysis of the 344 medical/surgical patients revealed that this subsample was also 5 times more likely to screen positive for suicide risk if they endorsed recent anxiety (adjusted odds ratios = 4.87, 95% confidence interval = 2.09-11.36).ConclusionsSelf-reported suicidal ideation and feelings of unbearable anxiety are prevalent among patients presenting to pediatric EDs. Patients who self-report recent feelings of unbearable anxiety are significantly more likely to screen positive for suicide risk, regardless of whether their presenting complaint is medical/surgical or psychiatric in nature.
| S-EPMC9773526 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the psychometric and predictive performance of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) in emergency department (ED) patients with suicidal ideation or attempts (SI/SA).MethodsParticipants (n = 1,376, mean age 36.8, 55% female, 76.8% white) completed the C-SSRS during the ED visit and were followed for one year. Reliability analyses, exploratory structural equation modeling, and prediction of future SA were explored.ResultsReliability of the Suicidal Ideation subscale was adequate, but was poor for the Intensity of Ideation and Suicidal Behavior subscales. Three empirically derived factors characterized the C-SSRS. Only Factor 1 (Suicidal Ideation and Attempts) was a reliable predictor of subsequent SA, though odds ratios were small (ORs: 1.09-1.10, CI95% : 1.04, 1.15). The original C-SSRS Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior subscales and the C-SSRS ED screen predicted subsequent SA, again with small odds ratios (ORs: 1.07-1.19, CI95% : 1.01, 1.29). In participants without a SA history, no C-SSRS subscale predicted subsequent SA. History of any SA (OR: 1.98, CI95% : 1.43, 2.75) was the strongest predictor of subsequent SA.ConclusionsThe psychometric evidence for the C-SSRS was mixed. History of a prior SA, as measured by the C-SSRS, provided the most parsimonious and powerful assessment for predicting future SA.
| S-EPMC7746629 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVE:To examine predictors of hospitalization among older adults at high risk for suicide treated in emergency departments (EDs). METHODS:This retrospective cohort analysis used national 2015 Medicare claims for adults ≥65 years with ED visits for suicide ideation or deliberate self-harm (N = 50,472) merged with data from the Area Health Resource File. Rates and adjusted risk ratios (ARR) of hospital admission were assessed. RESULTS:A majority of ED episodes resulted in hospital admission (81.9%) with most being admitted to a psychiatric unit (62.8%). Visits for self-harm with suicide ideation were most likely to result in hospitalization (94.7%) compared to suicide ideation alone (84.0%) or self-harm alone (73.1%). Current diagnosis of depression, bipolar, anxiety, cognitive, and personality disorder were associated with hospitalization. Co-occurring mental and substance use disorders were the most predictive mental health condition of admission. Overall, severity of current medical comorbidity was the strongest predictor of hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS:Most older adults treated in EDs for suicide ideation or self-harm are hospitalized. Medical morbidity plays a more prominent role than other patient factors in admission status.
| S-EPMC6500465 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background/objectiveWe described characteristics and treatment received for older (≥60 years) vs younger (<60 years) adult emergency department (ED) patients with suicide risk.DesignRetrospective chart review.SettingAn ED with universal screening for suicide risk.ParticipantsEligible charts included a random sample of adults (≥18 years) who screened positive for suicidal ideation (SI) in past 2 weeks and/or a suicide attempt (SA) within the past 6 months. Visit dates were from May 2014 to September 2016.ResultsA total of 800 charts were reviewed, with oversampling of older adults. Of the 200 older adults sampled, fewer older adults compared to younger adults (n = 600) had a chief complaint involving psychiatric behavior (53% vs 70%) or self-harm behavior (26% vs 36%). Although a higher number of older adults (93%) had documentation of current SI compared to younger adults (79%), fewer older adults (17%) reported SA in the past 2 weeks compared to younger adults (23%). Of those with a positive suicide screen who were discharged home, less than half of older adults received a mental health evaluation during their visit (42%, 95% CI 34-52) compared to 66% (95% CI 61-70) of younger adults who met the same criteria. Similarly, fewer older, than younger, adult patients with current SI/SA received referral resources (34%; 95% CI 26-43; vs 60%; 95% CI 55-65).ConclusionsSignificantly fewer suicidal older adult patients who were discharged home received a mental health evaluation when compared to similar younger adults. These findings highlight an important area for improvement in the treatment of older adults at risk for suicide.
| S-EPMC5641238 | biostudies-literature