The Importance of Screening Preteens for Suicide Risk in the Emergency Department

• Published in: Hospital pediatrics Vol. 9; no. 4; p. 305
• Main Authors: Lanzillo, Elizabeth C, Horowitz, Lisa M, Wharff, Elizabeth A, Sheftall, Arielle H, Pao, Maryland, Bridge, Jeffrey A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.2019
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Child; Emergency Service, Hospital - organization & administration; Female; Humans; Male; Mass Screening - methods; Psychology, Adolescent; Psychology, Child; Risk Assessment; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide, Attempted - prevention & control; Suicide, Attempted - psychology
• ISSN: 2154-1671
• DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2018-0154

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). 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. 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. 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.