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[Suicidality in the elderly - what the general practitioner can do].
Sebastian Haas1, Jacqueline Minder2, Gregor Harbauer3
1Kompetenzzentrum Burnout und Lebenskrise, Privatklinik Hohenegg AG, Meilen.
Praxis
|September 4, 2014
Summary
Elderly individuals have higher suicide rates, often linked to depression. A new tool, PRISM-S, offers a quick assessment for healthcare professionals to identify suicidality in adults, with future research planned for older populations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Context:
- Elevated suicide rates in the elderly population globally.
- Suicidality in older adults frequently co-occurs with mental disorders, particularly depression.
- Primary care physicians are pivotal in identifying elderly patient suicidality due to established relationships and somatization.
Purpose:
- To introduce the PRISM-S (Psychiatric Research in Switzerland - Suicide) tool for rapid suicidality assessment.
- To provide a brief, visual instrument for healthcare professionals to evaluate suicide risk in adult patients.
- To explore the potential application of PRISM-S in elderly patient populations.
Summary:
- The PRISM-S tool allows for a quick, under-five-minute assessment of suicidality using a simple visual instrument.
- This method is designed for all healthcare professionals to screen adult patients (18-65 years) for suicide risk.
- The study highlights the need for effective public mental health strategies and accessible screening tools.
Impact:
- PRISM-S offers a practical solution for timely suicide risk detection in primary care settings.
- Facilitates early intervention for individuals experiencing suicidal ideation.
- Contributes to improving mental health outcomes and reducing suicide rates in adult populations.