Suicidality in emergency medicine: Results from a retrospective analysis of emergency documentation forms.
BACKGROUND
To analyze suicidal care episodes in emergency medical responses in Germany.


METHODS
Anonymized data from emergency care episodes in Ulm from 2004 to 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.


RESULTS
158 of 933 psychiatric emergencies (16 %) were suicide related, including 14 completed suicides, 25 care episodes with suicidal ideation, and 119 suicide attempts. Significantly more men than women completed suicide (χ²(2,N = 934) = 12.70, p = 0.02). 93 % of the total psychiatric emergencies received any medication at all, and only about 33 % were transported to a psychiatric hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric treatment for suicidality in emergency medicine requires improvement to ensure that patients receive adequate therapy.
Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University, Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str. 2, 89312, Günzburg, Germany. fabian.lang@uni-ulm.de.
Fabian U
FU
Lang
Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University, Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str. 2, 89312, Günzburg, Germany.
Nadine
N
Hubel
Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University, Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str. 2, 89312, Günzburg, Germany.
Markus
M
Kösters
Danuvius Klinik Pfaffenhofen, Pfaffenhofen, Germany.
Thomas
T
Messer
Department of Anesthesiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
Alexander
A
Dinse-Lambracht
Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University, Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str. 2, 89312, Günzburg, Germany.
Markus
M
Jäger
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058996:Quality Improvement; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
D011619:Psychotropic Drugs
Emergency medicine; Psychiatry; Suicide; Suicide attempt