In this issue, Dr. Walby and colleagues present a meta-analysis of suicide rates among patients receiving mental health services, confirming that only about a quarter of suicide decedents had received mental health care just prior to death. Commenting on service and policy implications, the authors note that expanding access to mental health care should be a priority, because most individuals who died by suicide were not receiving such care. They also discuss the need to improve detection of suicide risk among patients receiving primary care and note that improvements in mental health care quality might help reduce suicide deaths. Improving access to mental health care can reduce morbidity and improve health of those who receive such care. However, improving access is a challenging and complex goal; obstacles include stigma, the supply of professionals (especially psychiatrists), and coverage and utilization barriers in health insurance programs. Emerging evidence also suggests that access to routine mental health care may insufficiently protect patients from the risks of suicide. Analyses of suicide patterns found that suicide rates among those who received care are much higher than rates for the general population as well as rates for veterans and other groups often considered high risk. Usual care may not be sufficiently protective. What actions could feasibly be implemented to reduce suicide among people receiving health care? The National Action Alliance on Suicide Prevention (NAASP) recently released a report from ...
Language: en
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