Assessment and Management of Suicide Risk in Primary Care

Saini, Pooja ORCID: 0000-0002-4981-7914, While, David, Chantler, Khatidja, Windfuhr, Kirsten and Kapur, Navneet (2014) Assessment and Management of Suicide Risk in Primary Care. CRISIS-THE JOURNAL OF CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUICIDE PREVENTION, 35 (6). pp. 415-425.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000277

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Risk assessment and management of suicidal patients is emphasized as a key component of care in specialist mental health services, but these issues are relatively unexplored in primary care services.<h4>Aims</h4>To examine risk assessment and management in primary and secondary care in a clinical sample of individuals who were in contact with mental health services and died by suicide.<h4>Method</h4>Data collection from clinical proformas, case records, and semistructured face-to-face interviews with general practitioners.<h4>Results</h4>Primary and secondary care data were available for 198 of the 336 cases (59%). The overall agreement in the rating of risk between services was poor (overall κ = .127, p = .10). Depression, care setting (after discharge), suicidal ideation at last contact, and a history of self-harm were associated with a rating of higher risk. Suicide prevention policies were available in 25% of primary care practices, and 33% of staff received training in suicide risk assessments.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Risk is difficult to predict, but the variation in risk assessment between professional groups may reflect poor communication. Further research is required to understand this. There appears to be a relative lack of suicide risk assessment training in primary care.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	suicide, risk assessment, general practitioners, primary care, secondary care
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	16 Jun 2016 14:42
Last Modified:	19 Jan 2023 07:35
DOI:	10.1027/0227-5910/a000277
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3001699