Presuicide Attempt Communications Between Parasuicides and Consulted Caregivers

The authors interviewed hospitalized attempters & the professional caregivers they consulted prior to their attempts. About half of these patients directly disclosed suicidal symptoms or intentions, especially to mental health professionals. These professionals more often inquired about suicidal ideation than did nonpsychiatric physicians. However, few caregivers noted suicidal thinking or probed suicidal symptoms suggesting that they need to be more sensitive to signs & symptoms of suicidality.