Suicide Prediction With Machine Learning

Abstract

CASE VIGNETTE "Mr. A" is a 35-year-old Caucasian veteran who just completed a tour of Iraq and returned stateside. He presents to the emergency department at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospital complaining of persistent nightmares, inability to go out at all, and inability to be normal around his children. He says he wants to die. He has no family history of suicide, and his wife has given away his guns. He is deemed to be a safety risk to himself and is admitted to the inpa-tient service. His symptoms are controlled on an optimal medication regimen, but a week after he leaves the hospital he discontinues his medications because they make him feel dull. At his outpatient follow up appointment 2 weeks later, he reports feeling okay but endorses transient thoughts of dying, which become increasingly severe over the next few weeks. He expresses being at the end of the rope and wanting to die. He spends most of his time thinking about ways to kill himself, and one day calls the crisis line when his wife is away at work.