Digital System for Managing Suicidal Thoughts in Young People
Author Information
Author(s): Taiane de Azevedo Cardoso, Astha Varuna, Sinha Urjoshi, Safa Ramin, Chong Min K, Ian B Hickie, Antonia Ottavio, David Rogers, Gina Dimitropoulos, Haley M LaMonica, Luke J Borgnolo, Sarah McKenna, Elizabeth M Scott, Frank Iorfino
Primary Institution: Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney
Hypothesis
Can a digital suicidality notification system effectively detect and respond to suicidal needs in youth mental health services?
Conclusion
The digital suicidality notification system successfully facilitated prompt clinical actions for youth exhibiting high levels of suicidal ideation and behaviors.
Supporting Evidence
- 76% of high suicidality notifications were resolved.
- The median response time for notifications was 1.9 days.
- Young people with high suicidality showed more severe symptoms and comorbidities.
- Participants reported an average of 7.4 days out of work in the past month.
- 60% of clinical actions involved creating safety plans.
Takeaway
This study shows that a digital tool can help doctors quickly respond to young people who are feeling very sad or thinking about hurting themselves.
Methodology
Young people aged 16-25 completed assessments on a digital platform, which triggered alerts for clinicians when high suicidality was detected.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may lead to underreporting of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.
Limitations
The study may not generalize to populations with different characteristics, and self-reported measures can be subject to bias.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 20.2 years; 72% were female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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