Help‐Seeking Behavior Prior to Nearly Lethal Suicide Attempts
Abstract
T he association between help‐seeking and nearly lethal suicide attempts was evaluated using data from a population‐based, case‐control study of 153 13‐ to 34‐year‐old suicide attempt case‐patients treated at emergency departments in Houston, Texas, and a random sample of 513 control‐subjects. Measures of help‐seeking included whether the participant sought help for health/emotional problems in the past month, type of consultant contacted, and whether suicide was discussed during the interaction. Overall, friends/family were consulted most frequently (48%). After controlling for potential confounders, case‐patients were less likely than control‐subjects to seek help from any consultant (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3–0.8) or a professional (e.g., physician, counselor) consultant (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.29–0.8). Among those who sought help, case‐patients were more likely than to discuss suicide (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.2–5.4), particularly with professionals (OR = 11.8, 95% CI = 3.2–43.2). Our findings suggest that efforts to better understand the role of help‐seeking in suicide prevention, including help sought from family and friends, deserves further attention.
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Thwarted belongingness may deter help-seeking, amplify sensitivity to social rejection, and impair social integration, all of which enhance suicidal ideation and behavior.
“A perceived lack of reciprocally caring relationships, also known as thwarted belongingness, may deter help-seeking (41), amplify sensitivity to social rejection (42), and impair social integration (43), and all enhance suicidal ideation and behavior.”
From A brain-centric model of suicidal behavior (2020) · cites this paper as [41]
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- Authors
- Barnes, L. S., Ikeda, R. M., & Kresnow, M.
- Affiliations
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
- Corresponding author
- Barnes, Lauren Seymour
- ORCID
- Kresnow, Marcie‐jo
- Venue
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2002-12
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- s1
- Pages
- 68-75
- ISSN
- 0363-0234 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-278X
- OpenAlex
- W2036348666
- Cited by
- 123
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 3.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- help-seeking, suicide prevention, suicide attempters, emergency department patients, professional help-seeking, young adults
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Behavioral Symptoms, Catchment Area, Health, Consultants, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Suicide, Attempted, Texas, Case-Control Studies
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