Risk assessment and management Flashcards
important points to consider for risk 2
cannot be eliminated entirely
most powerful predicotr of future risk is past behaviour
key objectives of scotlands ‘choose life’ suicide campaign 5
early prevention and interveion
responding to immediate crisis
longer term work to provide hope & support recovery
coping w suicidal behaviour
public awareness
individual risk factors for suicide 5
mental health
self harm
substance misuse
chronic illness
personality issues/coping styles
psychosocial risk factors for suicide 2
work and employment
poverty
psychosocial risk factors for suicide 2
work and employment
poverty
protective factors for suicide 5
problem sovling ability
self control of beavhiour, thoughts and emotions
perceptions of positive health
family relationships and partnership
employment
what factors in major depression correlate with suicide risk 5
severity of illness
self-neglect
impaired concentration/memory
alcohol abuse
Hx of suicidal behaviour
what factors in schizophrenia correlate with suicide risk 4
young and male
relapsing pattern of illness
Hx of depression or current depressive illness
recent discharge
what facotrs in alcohol abuse correlate with suicide risk 4
male sex
long duration of illness
single
current drinker
assessing sucide risk in psychiatric patients
correlate well with suicide but predict it badly
-can identify high risk groups within already high risk population
vulnerable points:
-inital acute phase
-period of recovery
most common type of deliberate self harm
self posoning with analgesics like PCM or antidepressant
followed by self-cutting
risk factors for deliberate self harm
alcohol-implicated in 50%
frequent repeaters:
-Hx of childhood trauma
-chaotic, unstable personal lives
reasons for deliberate self harm 4
situational crisis
feeling helples-escpae
frustration
poor problem solving ability
assessing risk of suicide after act of self harm by patient:
-what do you need to know about the suicide attempt 3
private room
-methodical
-non judgemental
assess circumstances
-final acts/premedication: wills, arrangement for estaets, saying goodbye, planning method
-measures to prevent interruption: lonely spot, timing act when others out of house/away
-perception of method most likely to be successful
aspects of history in someone having attempted suicide 8
factors in history/mental state
-actiev mental illness (esp severe depression)
-intoxicants at time of act
-regret over failure of act or apparent indifference to being found
-specific plans
-hopelessness
-means to commit suicide
-ongoing intent
