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Research ArticleOriginal Research

Suicide Inquiry in Primary Care: Creating Context, Inquiring, and Following Up

Steven D. Vannoy, Tonya Fancher, Caitlyn Meltvedt, Jürgen Unützer, Paul Duberstein and Richard L. Kravitz
The Annals of Family Medicine January 2010, 8 (1) 33-39; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1036
Steven D. Vannoy
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Tonya Fancher
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Caitlyn Meltvedt
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Jürgen Unützer
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Paul Duberstein
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Richard L. Kravitz
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  • The Article in Brief

    Suicide Inquiry in Primary Care: Creating Context, Inquiring, and Following Up

    Steven D. Vannoy , and colleagues

    Background Primary care visits offer an important opportunity for suicide prevention. Yet assessing a patient for potential suicide is difficult, since it is often an unstated concern. This study looks at how primary care doctors ask patients about suicide.

    What This Study Found Most primary care doctors� suicide inquiries are sensitive and straightforward. Generally, physicians weave the topic of suicide into a discussion of psychosocial functioning. When patients deny suicidal thoughts, most doctors probe for more information or express support and concern for the patients' safety. In only a few instances do physicians use language that might prevent a patient from disclosing suicidal thoughts.

    Implications

    • Although primary care doctors inquire about suicide at low rates, most of their inquiries are sensitive, appropriate, and supportive.
    • This study offers a descriptive framework that may be useful in developing educational programs to help doctors who are reluctant to ask patients about suicidal behavior.
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The Annals of Family Medicine: 8 (1)
The Annals of Family Medicine
Vol. 8, Issue 1
1 Jan 2010
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Suicide Inquiry in Primary Care: Creating Context, Inquiring, and Following Up
Steven D. Vannoy, Tonya Fancher, Caitlyn Meltvedt, Jürgen Unützer, Paul Duberstein, Richard L. Kravitz
The Annals of Family Medicine Jan 2010, 8 (1) 33-39; DOI: 10.1370/afm.1036

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Suicide Inquiry in Primary Care: Creating Context, Inquiring, and Following Up
Steven D. Vannoy, Tonya Fancher, Caitlyn Meltvedt, Jürgen Unützer, Paul Duberstein, Richard L. Kravitz
The Annals of Family Medicine Jan 2010, 8 (1) 33-39; DOI: 10.1370/afm.1036
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    • Abstract
    • INTRODUCTION
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • Appendix 1. Example Areas of Analytic Focus Within 1 Verbal Block
    • Appendix 2. Example of Confusing Inquiry and Off-Topic Follow-Up
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