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Youth suicide issues in general practice
P Beckinsale1, G Martin, S Clark
1Child Adolescent and Mental Health Service (Southern), Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia.
Objective:
To identify the factors that predispose to suicidal thinking and behaviours in young Australians who visit a general practitioner.
Method:
A clinical audit program that required a pre-entry survey of 50 young people attending a GP.
Results:
Suicidal thinking and behaviours in young people have been increasing over the past decades. In this survey of over 6000 young Australians, evidence suggests that there are fundamental mental health factors that all GPs should explore with young people to assess the risk of self harm. These include feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness, the pattern and type of drug use, a history of sexual abuse, concerns about sexuality and sexual identity.
Discussion:
General practitioners should not rely on their previous knowledge of a young person but continue to explore issues of suicide where any combinations of the above factors are present.