title: Assessing an adult patient's suicide risk. What primary care physicians need to know.
abstract: There is no pathognomonic sign or symptom that predicts suicide. However, suicide threats, hopelessness, and other risk factors may signal a patient's intent for self-harm. Through careful history taking and examination, the physician can assess the patient's risk profile for suicide and construct an appropriate treatment plan, which may include hospitalization, drug therapy, and/or referral to a psychiatrist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY 10003.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Westreich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards