According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network, emergency department (ED) visits involving drug-related suicide attempts increased 41 percent from 2004 to 2011, from an estimated 161,586 to 228,366 visits. There was a total of about 1.5 million ED visits involving drug-related suicide attempts between 2004 and 2011. Combined 2004 to 2011 data indicate that among the ED visits involving drug-related suicide attempts, 5,396 ED visits (less than 1 percent) ended with the patient leaving the ED against medical advice. Just over half (54 percent) of the ED visits involving drug-related suicide attempts that ended with the patient leaving against medical advice involved males, and over a quarter (29 percent) involved patients between the ages of 35 and 44.
Elizabeth H. Crane, Ph.D., M.P.H.
[Suicide attempts and death by suicide are significant public health issues in the United States. In 2014, more than 1.1 million adults aged 18 years or older in the United States (0.5 percent) attempted suicide in the past year.1 A history of previous suicide attempts remains one of the most important risk factors for death by suicide.2 As many as 39 percent of people who commit suicide had been seen in an emergency department (ED) in the year before their death.2,3 For people who survive a suicide attempt, the period after an ED visit is a time of high risk for another suicide attempt. Reductions in the tragedy of subsequent suicide deaths, however, have been shown through engaging patients in timely treatment and providing follow-up services after discharge from the ED.4,5 Adults who received medical attention resulting from a suicide attempt are more likely to receive mental health treatment compared to those who did not receive medical attention.6 Thus, in addition to attending to immediate physical health issues, ED care represents an important opportunity to assess the patient's mental health needs and provide follow-up resources at a particularly critical juncture in his or her care. The full complement of services, however, may be delivered only if the patient completes the ED visit before being discharged, admitted, or transferred. Click Here To Edit This Text.]
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Age Group, Gender, Short Report, Emergency Department Data, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, Mature Adults as Audience, Professional Care Providers, Public Health Professionals, Young Adults as Audience, Females, Males, Emergency Department Treatment, Suicide Prevention, All US States Only
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities. The Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related morbidity and mortality. DAWN uses a probability sample of hospitals to produce estimates of drug-related emergency department (ED) visits for the United States and selected metropolitan areas annually. DAWN also produces annual profiles of drug-related deaths reviewed by medical examiners or coroners in selected metropolitan areas and States. Any ED visit related to recent drug use is included in DAWN. All types of drugs - licit and illicit - are covered. Alcohol involvement is documented for patients of all ages if it occurs with another drug. Alcohol is considered an illicit drug for minors and is documented even if no other drug is involved. The classification of drugs used in DAWN is derived from the Multum Lexicon, copyright 2012 Lexi-Comp, Inc., and/or Cerner Multum, Inc. The Multum Licensing Agreement governing use of the Lexicon can be found at https://www.samhsa.gov/data/emergency-department-data-dawn. DAWN is one of three major surveys conducted by SAMHSA's Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ). For more information on other CBHSQ surveys, go to https://www.samhsa.gov/data/. SAMHSA has contracts with Westat (Rockville, MD) and RTI International (Research Triangle Park, NC) to operate the DAWN system and produce publications. For publications and additional information about DAWN, go to https://www.samhsa.gov/data/emergency-department-data-dawn.