Universal Adolescent Suicide Screening in a Pediatric Urgent Care Center.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2018

Identifier

DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2017.1304303

Abstract

The aim of this article is to describe the implementation of a 2-question suicide screening tool in a pediatric urgent care center to identify patients at risk of suicide. Adolescents presenting during a 12-month period completed the screening tool. Positive response to either question triggered further social work evaluation, including a Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Of 4,786 patients screened, 95 (2%) responded positively. Of these, 75 (79%) also had a positive C-SSRS. Only 7 (7%) had chief complaints related to mental health. A group of 78 patients (82%) were discharged with outpatient mental health referral, and 10 (10%) were admitted to a psychiatric facility. Universal adolescent suicide screening in an acute care setting did not significantly affect flow in our pediatric urgent care and was able to detect patients at risk of suicide, especially those with chief complaints unrelated to mental health.

Journal Title

Arch Suicide Res

Volume

22

Issue

1

First Page

118

Last Page

127

MeSH Keywords

Suicide/prevention and control; Mass Screening; Adolescent; Ambulatory Care Facilities; Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Keywords

Urgent Care; Suicide Screening; Teen

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