Which acronym lists risk factors used to assess suicide risk?

Which acronym lists risk factors used to assess suicide risk?

• A. Sad Persons
• B. Abcde
• C. Hits
• D. Fast

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is using a quick mnemonic to remember key factors that raise suicide risk in an emergency setting. The best choice lists ten factors that clinicians actively screen for to gauge danger and decide on urgent evaluation or admission. The items in this mnemonic cover the main risk signals: being male, being at an extreme age, having depression, a history of a previous suicide attempt, current alcohol or drug use, loss of rational thinking (psychosis or delirium), having a chronic or serious medical illness, having an organized plan for suicide, lacking a close relationship or social support, and expressing explicit intent to die. Each factor contributes to the overall risk, and higher totals indicate greater risk, prompting more thorough psychiatric assessment or inpatient care as needed. The other acronyms don’t correspond to the standard set of suicide risk factors taught for rapid assessment in medical practice, so they aren’t the correct mnemonic for this purpose.

The idea being tested is using a quick mnemonic to remember key factors that raise suicide risk in an emergency setting. The best choice lists ten factors that clinicians actively screen for to gauge danger and decide on urgent evaluation or admission.

The items in this mnemonic cover the main risk signals: being male, being at an extreme age, having depression, a history of a previous suicide attempt, current alcohol or drug use, loss of rational thinking (psychosis or delirium), having a chronic or serious medical illness, having an organized plan for suicide, lacking a close relationship or social support, and expressing explicit intent to die. Each factor contributes to the overall risk, and higher totals indicate greater risk, prompting more thorough psychiatric assessment or inpatient care as needed.

The other acronyms don’t correspond to the standard set of suicide risk factors taught for rapid assessment in medical practice, so they aren’t the correct mnemonic for this purpose.