Past suicide attempts in depressed inpatients: clinical versus research assessment

The objective of this study was to compare structured clinical assessment versus research measurement of suicidal risk among inpatients with major depression. Fifty depressed inpatients underwent a structured clinical and an independent research assessment of suicidal risk. Agreement between both assessments and its impact upon time to first readmission was tested. A false negative rate of 25% in the clinical screening of past suicide attempts was associated with older age, concealment, and reported lower frequency of suicidal thoughts. Mean times to first readmission (2.5 years follow-up) were 74 weeks (discordant responders) and 118 weeks (concordant responders). A failure to detect 25% of patients with past suicide attempt history in the clinical assessment was associated with older age and concealment of suicidal thoughts.