Adolescent suicide: what can pediatricians do?

Abstract

Suicide is a major public health concern and the second leading cause of death for adolescents. Faced with an already-high prevalence and increasing rates over the past decade, pediatricians feel inadequately prepared to manage a suicidal patient. This article will review the changing rates of suicide, discuss recent literature on risk factors, identify methods to screen for suicidal thoughts and suggest an approach to counseling a suicidal patient. Finally, there will be a brief discussion on safety planning and public health measures to help reduce suicide rates. Rates of attempted suicide and death by suicide have been increasing for more than a decade. Risk assessment of potential suicidality remains very challenging, as the risk factors are multifactorial. However, some common risk factors persist including sexual minority identification and family or personal history of mental health issues. Although keeping these and other risk factors in mind, regular screening of adolescents for depression and self-harm is important. Finally, the best safety plans and treatment methods appear to be team-based. It remains the responsibility of pediatricians to stay aware of risk factors, regularly screen adolescents and prioritize collaborative safety planning for suicidal patients.