Screening for Suicide Risk in a Brief Medication Management Appointment

By Robert I. Simon, MD | May 9, 2012

Dr Simon is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Program in Psychiatry and Law, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. He is also Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Suburban Hospital, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Bethesda, Md. He reports no conflicts of interest concerning the subject matter of this article.

A family history of suicide is a chronic risk factor, especially for patients with mood disorders. A genetic component exists in the etiology of affective disorders, schizophrenia, alcohol(Drug information on alcohol)ism and substance abuse, and cluster B personality disorders.²⁶

Recent psychiatric hospital discharge. After brief hospitalization, psychiatric inpatients are frequently discharged at some level of suicide risk, and they require close follow-up medication management and psychotherapy. Postdischarge suicides tend to occur within 3 months of discharge, often within a week or on the day of discharge.²⁷ Screening for ongoing suicide risk is critical for this group of psychiatric patients.

Conclusion

Unique, individual patient suicide risk factors as well as a patient’s prodromal escalation of suicide risk can escape detection in the brief medication management appointment. The Suicide Risk Screening Alert is a clinical tool that assists the psychiatrist and nonpsychiatric physician in identifying patients at risk for suicide during brief medication management appointments. It can be especially useful for identifying suicide risk in new patients and at the early stages of medication management. Patients who are identified to be at significant suicide risk usually require systematic suicide risk assessment.

Pages: 1 2 3 4

Suicide Assessment Part 1: Uncovering Suicidal Intent—A Sophisticated Art

Suicide Assessment Part 2: Uncovering Suicidal Intent Using the CASE Approach

Psychopharmacological Treatment to Reduce Suicide Risk

Improving Suicide Risk Assessment

Management Strategies To Minimize Suicide Risk in Borderline Patients

Suicide Risk Screening Alert: Identifying Risk Factors

Can Suicide Be Prevented?

Screening for Suicide Risk in a Brief Medication Management Appointment

Psychiatric Disorders Associated With Suicide

Preventing Inpatient Suicide

Screening for Suicide Risk in a Brief Medication Management Appointment

Understanding and Overcoming the Myths of Suicide

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Screening for Suicide Risk in a Brief Medication Management Appointment

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