Suicide Risk Screening in the Hospital Setting: A Review of Brief Validated Tools

Abstract

Background: Suicide is a major public health concern and a leading cause of death both globally and in the United States. Health-care systems and accreditation bodies, such as The Joint Commission (TJC), have placed growing emphasis on the importance of screening for suicide risk in health-care settings. Providers and administrators interested in implementing screening programs must choose from a number of existing validated screening tools. These tools vary in terms of their ease of use, the age range of their target population, as well as the quality of data supporting their use.

Objective: Here, we review and summarize the properties of brief suicide risk-screening tools described in the literature and discuss the benefits of using these tools for universal screening in the general hospital setting, as well as the significant limitations in their use in the general hospital setting.

Keywords: consultation-liaison psychiatry; mental health; risk assessment; suicide.