Suicidality in primary care, youth mental health services: Prevalence,
risk factors and implications for practice
Abstract
Youth suicide is a concern world-wide and suicidality, the presence of
suicidal ideation or intent, is a critical risk for youth mental health
services. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of suicidality in
primary care, youth mental health services, along with its correlates
and the course of treatment offered to clients. Routinely collected data
from Australia’s headspace national youth mental health
foundation, which has over 160 centres across Australia providing mental
health care to young people aged 12-25 years, were analysed for new
clients who started and completed their first episode of care between 1
July 2022 and 30 June 2023. This included 30,437 young people/episodes
of care and 74,393 occasions of service. Results showed that suicidality
was evident in almost one-quarter of young people, although it was
rarely reported as a primary presenting issue. When evident, it was
usually identified at first visit. Those most at risk were young people
in unstable accommodation, who identified as LGBTIQA+ or who were
Indigenous. The findings show that suicidality should be anticipated in
young people presenting to primary care mental health settings, and
youth services need to be able to competently deal with suicide risk
rather than using this as exclusion criteria.