Lethal Means Counseling for Suicidal Adults in the Emergency Department: A Qualitative Study.
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ABSTRACT: Introduction
Lethal means counseling (to reduce access to firearms or other suicide methods) is a recommended critical yet challenging component of care of suicidal patients. Questions remain about communication strategies for those in acute crisis.Methods
This qualitative study was an analysis of semi-structured interviews with English-speaking, community-dwelling adults with a history of lived-experience of suicidal ideation or attempts in themselves or a family member. We used a mixed inductive and deductive approach to identify descriptive themes related to communication and decision-making.Results
Among 27 participants, 14 (52%) had personal and 23 (85%) had family experience with suicide ideation or attempts. Emergent themes fell into two domains: (1) communication in a state of high emotionality; and (2) specific challenges in communication: initiating, maintaining engagement, considering context.Conclusion
Engaging suicidal individuals in lethal means counseling may be more effective when messaging and approaches consider their emotional state and communication challenges.
SUBMITTER: Siry BJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8203001 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Reducing access to lethal means (especially firearms) might prevent suicide, but counseling of at-risk individuals about this strategy may not be routine. Among emergency department (ED) patients with suicidal ideation or attempts (SI/SA), we sought to describe home firearm access and examine ED provider assessment of access to lethal means.This secondary analysis used data from the Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation, a three-phase, eight-center study of adult ED patients with SI/SA (2010-2013). Research staff surveyed participants about suicide-related factors (including home firearms) and later reviewed the ED chart (including documented assessment of lethal means access).Among 1,358 patients with SI/SA, 11% (95% CI: 10-13%) reported ?1 firearm at home; rates varied across sites (range: 6-26%) but not over time. On chart review, 50% (95% CI: 47-52%) of patients had documentation of lethal means access assessment. Frequency of documented assessment increased over study phases (40-60%, P < .001) but was not associated with state firearm ownership rates. Among the 337 (25%, 95% CI: 23-27%) patients discharged to home, 55% (95% CI: 49-60%) had no documentation of lethal means assessment; of these, 13% (95% CI: 8-19%; n = 24) actually had ?1 firearm at home. Among all those reporting ?1 home firearm to study staff, only half (50%, 95% CI: 42-59%) had provider documentation of assessment of lethal means access.Among these ED patients with SI/SA, many did not have documented assessment of home access to lethal means, including patients who were discharged home and had ?1 firearm at home.
| S-EPMC4800489 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionSuicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, with firearms reported as the cause of death in up to 50% of these cases. Our goal was to evaluate the feasibility of the Counseling on Access to Lethal Means intervention in the Emergency Department (CALM-ED) by non-physician personnel.MethodsWe conducted this single-center, prospective, quality improvement study (QI) in an urban, academic ED with over 90,000 annual patient visits. The study looked at adult patients who were discharged after presenting to the ED with suicidal crisis. Assessment of access to lethal means was conducted at the bedside, followed by a counseling session regarding safe storage of lethal means and follow-up via telephone call 48-72 hours after ED discharge. We collected data on patient's sociodemographics, psychiatric history, access to lethal means, lethal means storage methods, the patient's specific plans for lethal means storage after discharge, and post-discharge follow-up care.ResultsOf 215 eligible patients, 166 voluntarily agreed to participate in CALM-ED, of whom 84 (51%) reported access to lethal means. Following the intervention, 75% of patients described a specific storage plan for their lethal means. Patients with and without access to firearms were equally likely to participate in the follow-up telephone call.ConclusionAn ED-based CALM QI intervention is feasible for implementation by non-physician personnel and is well received by patients and families. This intervention has the potential to help saves lives at times of suicide crisis.
| S-EPMC7514406 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We sought to examine the beliefs and behaviors of emergency department (ED) providers related to preventing suicide by reducing suicidal patients' access to lethal methods (means restriction) and identify characteristics associated with asking patients about firearm access.Physicians and nurses at eight EDs completed a confidential, voluntary survey.The response rate was 79% (n = 631); 57% of respondents were females and 49% were nurses. Less than half believed, "most" or "all" suicides are preventable. More nurses (67%) than physicians (44%) thought "most" or "all" firearm suicide decedents would have died by another method had a firearm been unavailable (P < .001). The proportion of providers who reported they "almost always" ask suicidal patients about firearm access varied across five patient scenarios: suicidal with firearm suicide plan (64%), suicidal with no suicide plan (22%), suicidal with nonfirearm plan (21%), suicidal in past month but not today (16%), and overdosed but no longer suicidal (9%). In multivariable logistic regression, physicians were more likely than nurses to "almost always" or "often" ask about a firearm across all five scenarios, as were older providers and those who believed their own provider type was responsible for assessing firearm access.Many ED providers are skeptical about the preventability of suicide and the effectiveness of means restriction, and most do not assess suicidal patients' firearm access except when a patient has a firearm suicide plan. These findings suggest the need for targeted staff education concerning means restriction for suicide prevention.
| S-EPMC4347862 | biostudies-literature
Project description:To estimate the prevalence of self-harm, suicidal ideation (SI), and suicide attempts (SA) in older adults in the emergency department (ED), including differences according to age, sex, and race and ethnicity.Quasi-experimental, multiphase, eight-center study with prospective review of consecutive charts during enrollment shifts (November 2011-December 2014).Eight EDs in seven states, all with protocols for nurses to screen every patient for suicide risk (universal screening).Adults (?18 years) registered in the ED.Demographic characteristics; documented screening for self-harm, SI, or SA; and positive self-harm, SI, or SA in those with screening performed.Of 142,534 visits, 23.3% were of individuals aged 60 and older. Documented screening for self-harm, SI, or SA declined with age, from approximately 81% in younger age groups to a low of 68% in those aged 85 and older. The prevalence of positive screens for self-harm, SI, or SA also declined with age, with peaks in young and middle-age (9.0%) and reaching the lowest point after the age of 75 (1.2%).Documented screening for suicide risk declined with age in this large sample of individuals in the ED. Although the reason for this finding is unclear, at least part of the decline may be related to increasing rates of altered mentation or other individual-level barriers to screening in the older population. These findings support the need for more-detailed examination of the best methods for identifying-and treating-suicide risk in older adults.
| S-EPMC5073033 | biostudies-literature
Project description:OBJECTIVES:Rates of burnout and stress in healthcare practitioners are steadily increasing. Emergency department (ED) staff are particularly susceptible to such poor outcomes. Mantra meditation (MM) may contribute to increased well-being. The primary aim of this study was to obtain indepth qualitative feedback on ED staff's experience of a MM programme. A secondary objective was to harness staff's perception of the ED working environment. DESIGN:Qualitative study. SETTING:ED in St James' Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. PARTICIPANTS:Doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and administrative staff (n=10, eight women, mean age 35.6 years) working in the ED who attended a MM programme. METHODS:Semistructured interviews were conducted by a trained independent researcher. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. RESULTS:Five main themes and six subthemes were identified: work pressure and perceived stress; perceived benefits of meditation (with subthemes of increased attention/awareness, improved emotion regulation and new coping mechanisms, relaxation and sleep quality); conflicting attitudes to practice; barriers to meditation practice (with subthemes of schedule, length of practice and individual differences); and facilitators to practice. CONCLUSION:ED staff in this study described the demands of their work and voiced a need for a workplace well-being programme. Our findings suggest that MM might represent a viable tool to develop attention and awareness, improve emotion regulation and improve their capacity to cope with stress, which may impact their workplace well-being, wider health service, patient safety and quality of care. Support from the organisation is considered to be integral to embedding of a workplace well-being programme, such as the practice of meditation into their daily lives.
| S-EPMC6157509 | biostudies-other
Project description:Objective: To describe risk factors and suicide rates during the year following discharge from mental health emergency department (ED) visits by adults with suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, or neither. Methods: National cohorts of patients with mental health ED visits for suicide attempts or self-harm (n = 55,323), suicidal ideation (n = 435,464), or other mental health visits (n = 9,144,807) from 2008 to 2012 Medicaid data were followed for suicide for 1 year after discharge. Suicide rates per 100,000 person-years were determined from National Death Index data. Poisson regression models, adjusted for age, sex, and race/ethnicity, estimated suicide rate ratios (RRs). Suicide standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated from National Vital Statistics System data. Results: Suicide rates per 100,000 person-years were 325.4 for suicide attempt or self-harm visits (RR = 5.51, 95% CI, 4.64-6.55), 156.6 for suicidal ideation visits (RR = 2.59, 95% CI, 2.34-2.87), and 57.0 for the other mental health ED visits (1.0, reference). Compared to expected suicide general population rates, SMRs were 18.2 (95% CI, 13.0-23.4) for suicide attempt or self-harm patients, 10.6 (95% CI, 9.0-12.2) for suicidal ideation patients, and 3.2 (95% CI, 3.1-3.4) for other ED mental health patients. Among patients with suicide attempt ED visits in the 180 days before their index mental health ED visit, suicide rates per 100,000 person-years were 687.2 (95% CI, 396.5-978.0) for attempt or self-harm visits, 397.4 (95% CI, 230.6-564.3) for ideation visits, and 328.4 (95% CI, 241.5-415.4) for other mental health visits. Conclusions: In the year following discharge, emergency department patients with suicide attempts or self-harm, especially repeated attempts, have a high risk of suicide.
| S-EPMC8672323 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Controversy surrounds the linkage of prevention counseling with emergency department (ED)-based HIV testing. Further, the effectiveness and feasibility of prevention counseling in the ED setting is unknown. We investigate these issues by conducting a preliminarily exploration of several related aspects of our ED's HIV prevention counseling and testing program.Our urban, academic ED provides formal client-centered prevention counseling in conjunction with HIV testing. Five descriptive, exploratory observations were conducted, involving surveys and analysis of electronic medical records and programmatic data focused on (1) patient perception and feasibility of prevention counseling in the ED, (2) patient perceptions of the need to link prevention counseling with testing, and (3) potential effectiveness of providing prevention counseling in conjunction with ED-based HIV testing.Of 110 ED patients surveyed after prevention counseling and testing, 98% believed privacy was adequate, and 97% reported that their questions were answered. Patients stated that counseling would lead to improved health (80%), behavioral changes (72%), follow-up testing (77%), and discussion with partners (74%). However, 89% would accept testing without counseling, 32% were willing to seek counseling elsewhere, and 26% preferred not to receive the counseling. Correct responses to a 16-question knowledge quiz increased by 1.6 after counseling (95% confidence interval 1.3 to 12.0). The program completed counseling for 97% of patients tested; however, 6% of patients had difficulty recalling the encounter and 13% denied received testing. Among patients undergoing repeated testing, there was no consistent change in self-reported risk behaviors.Participants in the ED prevention counseling and testing program considered counseling acceptable and useful, though not required. Given adequate resources, prevention counseling can be provided in the ED, but it is unlikely that all patients benefit.
| S-EPMC3690122 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Counseling to reduce access to lethal means such as firearms and medications is recommended for suicidal adults but does not routinely occur. We developed the Web-based Lock to Live (L2L) decision aid to help suicidal adults and their families choose options for safer home storage. OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of L2L among suicidal adults in emergency departments (EDs). METHODS:At 4 EDs, we enrolled participants (English-speaking, community-dwelling, suicidal adults) in a pilot randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomized in a 13:7 ratio to L2L or control (website with general suicide prevention information) groups and received a 1-week follow-up telephone call. RESULTS:Baseline characteristics were similar between the intervention (n=33) and control (n=16) groups. At baseline, many participants reported having access to firearms (33/49, 67%), medications (46/49, 94%), or both (29/49, 59%). Participants viewed L2L for a median of 6 min (IQR 4-10 min). L2L also had very high acceptability; almost all participants reported that they would recommend it to someone in the same situation, that the options felt realistic, and that L2L was respectful of values about firearms. In an exploratory analysis of this pilot trial, more participants in the L2L group reported reduced firearm access at follow-up, although the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS:The L2L decision aid appears feasible and acceptable for use among adults with suicide risk and may be a useful adjunct to lethal means counseling and other suicide prevention interventions. Future large-scale studies are needed to determine the effect on home access to lethal means. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03478501; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03478501.
| S-EPMC7016618 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDecision-making concerning the limitation of potentially life-prolonging treatments is often challenging, particularly in the Emergency Department (ED). Current literature in this area of Emergency Medicine is limited and heterogeneous. We seek to determine the factors that influence ceiling of treatment institution in the ED.MethodsWe conducted a phenomenological qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews. Emergency Medicine Consultants were recruited via a sample of convenience from 5 hospitals in the West of Scotland. Data saturation was achieved after 15 interviews. Interviews were recorded, anonymised, transcribed, coded, and an iterative thematic analysis was carried out.ResultsA model was created to illustrate the identified themes. Patient wishes are central to decision-making. Acute clinical factors and patient-specific factors lay the foundations of ceiling of treatment decisions. This is heavily contextualised by family input, collateral information, anticipated outcome, and whether the patient is accepted for higher care. This decision-making process flows through a 'filter' of cultural and environmental factors. The overarching nature of patient benefit was found to be of key importance, framing all aspects of ceiling of treatment institution. Ultimately, all ceiling of treatment decisions result in one of three common patient pathways: full escalation, limited escalation, and maintenance of current care with the option of palliative care initiation.ConclusionsWe present a conceptual model composed of 10 major thematic factors that influence Consultant ceiling of treatment decision-making in the ED. Clinicians should be cognizant of influential factors and associated biases when making these important and challenging decisions.
| S-EPMC6335704 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveEmergency department visits for self-harm and suicidal ideation have increased for US older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine discharge disposition, clinical recognition of mental disorder, and 30-day follow-up mental health outpatient care of older adults treated in emergency departments for suicide attempt (SA), suicidal ideation (SI), or deliberate self-harm (DSH).MethodsRetrospective cohort analysis using 2015 Medicare claims for adults ≥65 years of age with suicide-related emergency encounters (N = 52,383). Demographic, clinical, and service use characteristics from claims were merged with county-level Area Health Resource File data. Rates and adjusted risk ratios were assessed for discharge to the community, mental health diagnosis in the emergency department, and outpatient mental health visits with 30 days after the emergency encounter.ResultsEncounters for SA (7.8%) and SI (17.2%) were less likely than those for DSH (29.1%) to be discharged to the community. Among community discharges, SA (95.6%) and SI (95.1%) encounters were more likely than DSH (52.3%) encounters to be diagnosed with a mental disorder in the emergency department. Encounters for SA (52.1%) and SI (59.9%) were also more likely than DSH (31.3%) encounters to receive follow-up mental care.ConclusionsAlthough most older adults treated in EDs for suicide-related reasons are hospitalized, a substantial proportion of patients discharged back to the community do not receive follow-up mental healthcare within 30 days.
| S-EPMC7246137 | biostudies-literature