Abstract
Objective
To describe a sample of minoritized youth who screened positive for suicide risk within
medical subspecialty pediatrics, compared to non-minoritized youth and describe the
screening outcomes of these youth.
Methods
This retrospective chart review from October 2018 to April 2021 used electronic medical
record data from an academic pediatric medical subspecialty clinic that screens universally
for suicide risk for all patients ages 9 and up. Chart reviews were conducted for
237 minoritized youth (operationalized as identifying as non-White or Hispanic/Latinx,
identifying as a gender minority, and having a preferred language other than English)
who screened positive for suicide risk. Descriptive statistics include need for escalation
to an emergency room, connection to mental health care, receival of a mental health
referral, and attendance at follow-up visits.
Results
Minoritized youth were more likely to screen positive and report a history of suicide
attempt when compared to non-minoritized peers. Youth identifying as gender expansive
had significant elevation in suicide risk. The majority of youth in this sample were
already connected to mental health care, with youth preferring a language other than
English being the least likely to be connected.
Conclusions
Findings indicate heightened suicide risk for minoritized youth, with gender expansive
youth having particularly elevated suicide risk. A need to support youth with a preferred
language other than English in getting connected to mental health care was also revealed.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Academic PediatricsAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). WISQARS fatal injury reports, National, Regional and State, 1981-2019. Available at: https://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/mortrate.html
- Primary and secondary prevention of youth suicide.Pediatrics. 2020; 145: S195-S203https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-2056H
- Trends in violence victimization and suicide risk by sexual identity among high school students - Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2015-2019.MMWR Suppl. 2020; 69 (Published 2020 Aug 21): 19-27https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su6901a3
Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health. Ring the alarm: the crisis of black youth suicide in America. Congressional Black Caucus. 2019. Available at:https://watsoncoleman.house.gov/uploadedfiles/full_taskforce_report.pdf
- Age-related racial disparity in suicide rates among US youths from 2001 through 2015.JAMA Pediatr. 2018; 172: 697-699https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.0399
- Trends of suicidal behaviors among high school students in the United States: 1991-2017.Pediatrics. 2019; 144e20191187https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-1187
- Academic medical center visits by adolescents preceding emergency department care for suicidal ideation or suicide attempt.Acad Pediatr. 2021; 21: 1218-1222https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2021.05.009
- Sexual orientation and suicide attempt disparities among US adolescents: 2009-2017.Pediatrics. 2020; 145e20191658https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-1658
- Differences in adolescent experiences of polyvictimization and suicide risk by sexual minority status.J Res Adolesc. 2021; 31: 240-252https://doi.org/10.1111/jora.12595
Trevor Project. National survey on LGBTQ youth mental health 2021. 2021. Available from: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2021/
- Suicide risk among immigrants and ethnic minorities: a literature overview.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018; 15 (Published 2018 Jul 8): 1438https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15071438
- Sex differences in suicides among children and youth: the potential impact of help-seeking behaviour.Can J Psychiatry. 2013; 58: 274-282
- Integrating suicide risk screening into pediatric ambulatory subspecialty care.Pediatr Qual Saf. 2020; 5 (Published 2020 Jun 8): e310https://doi.org/10.1097/pq9.0000000000000310
- Ask suicide-screening questions (ASQ): a brief instrument for the pediatric emergency department.Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012; 166: 1170-1176https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2012.1276
- Validation of the ask suicide-screening questions (ASQ) with youth in outpatient specialty and primary care clinics.Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021; 68: 52-58https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2020.11.006
- Risk and resilience in minority youth populations.Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2020; 16: 151-163https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-071119-115839
- Suicide risk screening in pediatric hospitals: clinical pathways to address a global health crisis.Psychosomatics. 2019; 60: 1-9https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psym.2018.09.003
National Institute of Mental Health. Brief suicide safety assessment. ASQ Toolkit. 2017. Available at: www.nimh.nih.gov/ASQ
- Level of behavioral health integration and suicide risk screening results in pediatric ambulatory subspecialty care.Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2022; 75: 23-29https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2022.01.005
- Language and immigrant status effects on disparities in Hispanic children's health status and access to health care.Matern Child Health J. 2013; 17: 415-423https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-012-0988-9
- Use of specialty mental health services by Asian Americans with psychiatric disorders.J Consult Clin Psychol. 2009; 77: 1000-1005https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017065
- Racial and ethnic disparities in the continuation of community-based children's mental health services.J Behav Health Serv Res. 2012; 39: 116-129https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-011-9261-z
- Removing obstacles to eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in behavioral health care.Health Aff (Millwood). 2016; 35: 991-999https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0029
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: May 18, 2022
Accepted:
May 11,
2022
Received:
November 19,
2021
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofFootnotes
The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.
Identification
Copyright
Copyright © 2022 by Academic Pediatric Association
