Susception of suicidal ideation in emergency room: a narrative review

Abstract

Suicide is a major global public health problem. When a patient considers suicide or has already taken a suicide attempt, the emergency department may be their first point of contact. The purpose of this narrative review is to assess, in the context of emergency care, the frequency and mortality of suicide methods as well as ways for screening and treating patients who exhibit suicidal thoughts. A search of the literature was done with an emphasis on papers about lethality, suicide tactics, and emergency medicine management techniques.  Different suicide techniques have varying rates of incidence and fatality. Even though they are among the most common, hanging and guns are both extremely deadly. However, poisoning, particularly by pharmaceuticals or chemicals, is extremely prevalent and provides substantial difficulty because of its varying lethality dependent on the substance and quantity taken. Effective therapy of individuals with suicidal thoughts in emergencies demands a multidisciplinary approach. Some experts urge for widespread screening of suicidal ideation, especially in primary care settings, utilizing validated measures such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), and Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS). Emergency department and emergency physician training programs must be established, as well as new point-of-care screening approach settings.