[Hopelessness in patients presenting to their family physician]

In order to reduce suicide rate in Hungary, it is essential to screen for and detect individuals with high suicide risk. For people with suicidal thoughts and intentions often visit their GP, our intention was to assess the potential suicide risk amongst patients going to the GP's. Based on a former study, we assumed the rate of depression to be about 30% amongst patients waiting at the GP's consulting room, and that there would be suicidal patients too. A randomised study of 158 patients together with 91 matched controls was conducted in GP's practices. Four different scales were applied: Beck Hopelessness Scale, Beck Depression Scale, Beck's Anxiety Scale and Paykel's Life Event Scale. Unfortunately, our results showed a more serious picture than expected: people visiting the GP were significantly more depressed, hopeless and anxious than controls, and one third of them proved to be at high suicide risk.

GPs can play an important role in suicide prevention, and should do as well. Hopelessness Scale and Beck's Depression Scale are reliable test materials for local doctors.