Suicide Risk in Adults and Older Adults: Screening

1. Epidemiology and natural history of suicide risk. Persons who attempt suicide and survive and those who die by suicide are overlapping populations. More research is needed to understand these groups and to determine how primary care can improve health outcomes in these groups.
2. Foundational research is needed in primary care populations and pregnant and postpartum persons, including determining which tools should be used and how screening for suicide risk should be implemented.
3. Accuracy of single-item suicide screeners within depression screening instruments among patients who have screened positive for depression.
4. Whether more individuals with screen-detected suicidal ideation could be helped before they act.
5. Treatment studies in populations with screen-detected suicide risk in all age groups.
6. Potential harms of suicide risk interventions.
7. Benefits and potential harms of targeted vs general screening for suicide risk.
8. Targeting persons at high risk for suicide, such as Hispanic/Latino and Native American/Alaska Native persons or persons with depression, may help determine whether tailored therapies are more effective in these populations.

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for suicide risk in the adult population, including pregnant and postpartum persons, as well as older adults.

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