• Ernika G Quimby, Leah Brogan, Tita Atte, Guy Diamond, and Joel A Fein.
• From the Division of Emergency Medicine, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ.
• Pediatr Emerg Care. 2022 Feb 1; 38 (2): e595e599e595-e599.

ObjectivesThis study evaluates the relationship between substance use and impairment and current suicidal thoughts or behaviors in adolescent patients screened in a pediatric emergency department (ED).MethodsData were collected between June 2013 and February 2018 from adolescent patients who presented to a single, urban, pediatric ED. Adolescents completed a computerized, self-administered assessment that evaluates depression, suicide, posttraumatic stress, violence, traumatic exposure, bullying, and substance use. Assessments are administered as standard care to all ED patients aged 14 to 18 years. We used binary logistic regression to estimate the odds of reporting current suicidal thoughts or behaviors associated with patient demographics (ie, age, sex, and race), substance use in the past month, and substance-related impairment.ResultsA total of 11,623 adolescent patients (65.4% female and 52.9% African American) completed the assessment. Participants were, on average, 15.7 years old (SD = 1.27). Younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-0.84) and substance use impairment (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.33-0.58) decreased the odds of reporting current suicidal thoughts or behaviors, whereas male sex (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.28-1.79) and those with past-month substance use (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.51-2.26) increased the odds.ConclusionsRecent substance use and male sex are associated with a higher likelihood of adolescents reporting current suicidal thoughts or behaviors during an ED visit. Standardized screening during pediatric ED visits may allow for more efficient evaluation of patients in higher-risk groups.Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

12 keywords...

hide…