Psychiatric News (1/9) reports that in an paper published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, “researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) are reporting that a set of four questions that emergency department (ED) physicians or nurses can ask successfully identifies youth who are at risk for attempting suicide.” In 17 young people ranging in age from 10 to 21 who presented with either a psychiatric or surgical/medical issue at the ED, researchers “found that four of the questions used as a set accurately predicted suicide attempts. The questions asked about ‘current thoughts of being…better off dead, current wish to die, current suicidal ideation, and history of suicide attempt.'” A positive answer to one or more of these four questions identified 97% of the young people at risk for suicide, investigators reported.
Related Links:
— “Four Simple Questions Identify Youth at Risk of Suicide,Psychiatric News Alert, January 8, 2013.