Short-term suicide risk after psychiatric hospital discharge.

Question Which inpatients are at highest short-term risk for suicide after hospital discharge?

Findings In this national retrospective longitudinal cohort of almost 1.9 million adult inpatients in the Medicaid program, suicide risk during the first 90 days after hospital discharge was highest for patients with first-listed depressive disorders, followed by those with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders and lowest for patients with nonmental disorders.

Meaning Recently discharged psychiatric inpatients, especially those with mood disorders, are at exceptionally high short-term risk for suicide.