Open AccessManagement of Suicidal Adolescents Presenting to the Emergency Department
Author(s) -
Nizete-Ly Valles,
Dana Billups,
Topaz Sampson,
Toi Blakley Harris
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
adolescent psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2210-6774
pISSN - 2210-6766
DOI - 10.2174/2210676609666190730094236
Subject(s) - suicidal ideation , psychological intervention , emergency department , depression (economics) , medicine , mental health , medical emergency , ideation , psychiatry , health care , suicide prevention , psychology , poison control , economics , macroeconomics , economic growth , cognitive science
Background: Increasingly, adolescents are presented to hospital emergency departmentswith suicidal ideation (SI) and depression. Even among those who come in withother complaints, depression and SI are common. Emergency personnel are placed in the defaultposition of providing care for these patients, but often lack sufficient knowledge andskills to do this effectively. Objective: The aim of this paper is to offer guidance to emergency personnel and describegoals and strategies for screening and brief interventions. Method: We review risk factors, assessment tools and evidence-based interventions that canbe utilized by mental health professionals working in EDs and by ED staff in the absence ofmental health professionals. Conclusion: Emergency departments can serve a critical role in risk management and treatmentof adolescent depression and suicidal ideation. All patients presenting to the ED shouldbe screened for current and past depression and suicidal ideation or attempts. Brief interventionscan be delivered in the ED that can increase the likelihood that patients will receive follow-up care.