title: Does the Suicide Assessment Scale predict risk of repetition? A prospective study of suicide attempters at a hospital emergency department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the modified version of the Suicide Assessment Scale (SUAS) can be utilised to predict risk of repeat suicidal behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hundred and sixty-five patients aged 18 to 68 years who were admitted to emergency wards after a suicide attempt were interviewed. Follow-up interviews (n=96) were carried out after 2 months. Associations between SUAS scores and repeat attempt (fatal/non-fatal) during the following 3 years were analysed and the instrument's ability to predict repetition was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High SUAS score (>30) was associated with repetition. The ability of the SUAS to correctly predict repeat suicidal behaviour in the entire study group was low (AUC=0.65, 95% CI=0.56-0.74) but better for those (n=42) who reported ongoing psychiatric treatment at follow-up (AUC=0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.94). Among the latter group, all with baseline SUAS scores >30 made repeats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified SUAS performed well as a screening instrument in psychiatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. margda.waern@neuro.gu.se
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waern
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sjöström
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marlow
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hetta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012372:ROC Curve; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology