Childhood Suicide Risk in the Emergency Department

What are the risk factors for suicide thoughts and behaviors among children aged 8 to 12 years presenting to the emergency department (ED)?In this cohort study of 627 517 electronic health records from children aged 8 to 12 years who presented to ED across 12 states from 2010 to 2020, those with suicide thoughts and behaviors exhibited sociodemographic differences from those with nonsuicide–related mental health concerns. Approximately 10% of patients with suicide risk returned for multiple suicide-related ED visits.These findings suggest that suicide risk is common and recurrent among children in the ED, underscoring the importance of screening, intervention, and follow-up care for these high-risk youth.

Corresponding Author: David Pagliaccio, PhD, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr, Room 6106, New York NY 10032 (david.pagliaccio@nyspi.columbia.edu).

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