Management of suicide attempters in psychiatric care in Sweden:Evaluation of a questionnaire to psychiatric care providers

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Abstract
A questionnaire sent to psychiatric care providers in Sweden contained questions on the management of suicide attempters. Routines for admission, psychiatric consultation for suicide risk assessment, and follow-up after discharge were focused on. Participation was satisfactory: 89 of 111 (80%) questionnaires were answered. In two of three districts, specific routines for the management of suicidal patients had been included in written memoranda. In 73% of the districts, all patients referred to the somatic emergency ward were assessed by a physician from the department of psychiatry; in 61% of these, however, the physician was not always a specialized psychiatrist. Rating scales for assessment of suicide risk were used in 22% of the districts. Special follow-up approaches after suicide attempts were rarely available, nor was there any registration of suicide attempts. Nevertheless, almost all psychiatric care providers had a very positive attitude towards a continuous effort to develop better routines.