Citation

Stewart SE, Manion IG, Davidson S, Cloutier P. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2001; 40(5): 580-587.

Affiliation

University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11349703

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine risk of future documented suicide attempts and emergency room (ER) returns among children and adolescents with first suicidal ER presentations. METHOD: A total of 548 consecutive ER presentations of suicidal 5- to 19-year-olds to a Canadian center over a 1-year period (1997-1998) were reviewed. Relative risk analyses were performed on 224 first-time patients (mean age 14.6+/-2.1) to determine the strength of associations between predictors and outcomes (ER return and suicide attempts). RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, 32.6% (n = 73) had returned to the ER, 24.1% (n = 54) had a documented suicide attempt, and 14.3% (n = 32) required psychiatric hospitalization. Predictors for both ER return and future documented suicide attempts included 15- to 19-year age range, past foster/group home placement, past mental health care, a suicide plan, reported mood symptoms, sobriety at ER visit, and general substance use. Child welfare guardianship and abuse history were also predictors of ER returns. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of these risk factors when assessing and managing suicidal youths with first ER presentations.

Language: en