Attempted and completed suicide in primary care: not what we expected?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• General Practitioners (GPs) are crucial in suicide prevention efforts.
• Understanding differences between suicide attempts and completed suicides in primary care is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare characteristics of individuals who attempt suicide versus those who complete suicide within a primary care setting.
• To analyze General Practitioners' (GPs) management strategies for these two patient groups.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study analyzed patients with attempted suicide (SA) and completed suicide (SC) reported to the French Sentinelles surveillance system (2009-2013).
• Data included patient demographics, suicide methods, and GP management, including psychological support and identification of difficulties.

Main Results:

• Completed suicide patients were more likely to be male, older, and use more lethal methods.
• Men who completed suicide had fewer prior attempts and GP contacts.
• Suicidal ideation was more frequent in the completed suicide group during the last consultation, particularly in women.
• GPs showed no difference in identifying psychological difficulties but provided more support to the suicide attempt group.

Conclusions:

• Significant demographic and clinical differences exist between suicide attempters and completers.
• GPs may not intensify care for patients at high risk of suicide completion, suggesting a potential gap in recognition.
• Current suicide prevention programs in primary care require tailored approaches to effectively address differing patient profiles and risks.