Suicidal behavior in psychiatric emergency room patients.
BACKGROUND
Psychiatric emergency room (ER) patients are thought to be at increased risk of suicide. The prevalence and characteristics of suicidal behavior in a recent sample of patients who came to the ER for psychiatric evaluation were examined.


METHODS
Charts of 311 consecutive psychiatric ER patients were reviewed. Suicidal behavior was considered present if current suicidal ideation or attempts within 24 hours of or during the emergency evaluation were noted in the chart.


RESULTS
Suicidal behavior was present in 38% of the psychiatric ER patients. Younger age, white race, affective disorders in female patients, and substance abuse disorders in male patients were features of the suicidal group. Sex of the patient was not associated with suicidal behavior.


CONCLUSIONS
Suicidal behavior is prevalent in the psychiatric ER. Effective suicide prevention in this setting will hinge on finding more specific risk factors.
Dhossche
D M
DM
Department of Psychiatry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA.
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D044465:White People; D000092864:Suicide Prevention