Understanding Why Patients May Not Report Suicidal Ideation at a Health Care Visit Prior to a Suicide Attempt: A Qualitative Study

What is it about?

The link between asking patients about suicidal thoughts and the ability of health systems to help prevent suicide is not clear. The authors interviewed patients who made a suicide attempt after reporting no suicidal thoughts during a health care visit to identify factors that may help or prevent disclosure of suicidal thoughts. They found participants either were not experiencing suicidal thoughts at the time they were asked or did not report them due to fear of stigma, over-reaction and loss of autonomy. Participants offered suggestions for health systems to help prevent suicide.

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