Improving Detection of Suicidal Ideation Among Depressed Patients in Primary Care

This report evaluates the effect of 2 primary care interventions on the detection & subsequent referral or treatment of patients with depression & recent suicidal ideation. Depressed patients with recent suicidal ideation were detected on 40.7% of index visits in intervention practices compared with 20.5% in usual care practices. The interventions had no effect on referral of patients, starting an antidepressant, or suicidal ideation reported at a 6-month follow-up, although power was limited for all 3 analyses. Primary care interventions can improve detection of suicidal ideation but further work is still needed to improve physician response to such detection. (63 refs.)