Assessing Access to Lethal Means in Suicidal Patients

Half of suicidal patients seen in emergency departments were not documented as having received an assessment.

Reducing access to lethal means is a key, evidence-based intervention for decreasing suicide deaths. These authors studied lethal means access and assessment in 1358 suicidal adults seen in eight emergency departments (EDs) across all four U.S. Census regions. Participants were nonpsychotic and reported suicidal ideation or a suicide attempt within the previous week (mean age, 36; 56% women).

On self-report study questionnaires, 11% of the participants reported having at least one firearm at home. Of this subgroup, 25% reported that the firearms were loaded and unlocked, and 54% reported easy access to a firearm.

Researchers also reviewed participants' ED records: 91% presented to the ED with a psychiatric issue, and 88% were seen by a mental…

Reviewing Author

Deborah Cowley, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Katz Family Foundation

Deborah Cowley, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Katz Family Foundation

Assessing Access to Lethal Means in Suicidal Patients

Topics

Reviewing Author