Barriers to identify suicide attempts and risk factors in adolescents: Analysis of a clinical case

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Suicide attempts are not explicit in all cases, and neither are the possible risk factors or triggers of these behaviors, especially in the adolescent population. Identifying them is crucial to provide comprehensive care and preventing fatal outcomes. CLINICAL CASE: A 14-year-old male patient went to the emergency department for ingesting 40 pills, initially referring it for recreational purposes. He was admitted for the management of drug poisoning. The assessments are reported: medical, social work, mental health, and through a screening of risk factors. Barriers to the identification of risk factors and suicidal behavior were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Through the analysis of this clinical case, four main barriers to identifying adolescents with suicide attempts and their main risk factors were identified. These were related to a) the knowledge and skills for the identification and registration of the suicide attempt; b) limitations to identifying potential risk factors for suicidal behavior; c) the lack of systematization for the evaluation of children and adolescents pawith suicide attempts, and d) the need for multi- and interdisciplinary collaboration and communication, sometimes inter-institutional and intersectoral, for the comprehensive care of patients with suicide attempts. In addition, the advantages of having screening instruments for the assessment of adolescents with suicide attempts and the systematization of the process were identified.