TY - JOUR
T1 - What Now?
T2 - Experiences of VHA patients following disclosure of suicidal ideation in primary care and mental health settings
AU - Newell, Summer
AU - Rynerson, Annabelle
AU - Gade, Praful
AU - Bahraini, Nazanin H.
AU - Denneson, Lauren M.
AU - Dobscha, Steven K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024
PY - 2024/3/1
Y1 - 2024/3/1
N2 - Objective: While screening and treatment options for patients who disclose suicidal ideation in clinical settings have grown in recent decades, little is known about patient experiences following disclosure. We characterize patient perspectives of responses following disclosure of suicidal ideation in Veteran Health Administration (VHA) primary care and mental health settings. Method: Qualitative thematic analysis using a conventional/directed hybrid approach. Results: A national sample comprised of sixty participants who recently screened for suicidal ideation in primary care (n = 28) and mental health (n = 32) settings completed interviews. Many patients described therapeutic experiences following disclosure, including caring staff, timely follow-up care, and offers of multiple treatment options. Other patients, however, reported deficits in staff empathy, long waits for follow-up care, or inadequate treatment options. Conclusions: While many VA clinical settings provided empathic and helpful responses, these experiences were not universal. Our findings reinforce the importance of a patient-centered approach to screening and response to disclosure, including collaboration with patients in treatment planning. Improved follow-up care coordination processes are needed. Following disclosure, contact with the staff who received the disclosure also helps patients feel cared about, and provides opportunity to troubleshoot barriers a patient may experience in accessing care.
AB - Objective: While screening and treatment options for patients who disclose suicidal ideation in clinical settings have grown in recent decades, little is known about patient experiences following disclosure. We characterize patient perspectives of responses following disclosure of suicidal ideation in Veteran Health Administration (VHA) primary care and mental health settings. Method: Qualitative thematic analysis using a conventional/directed hybrid approach. Results: A national sample comprised of sixty participants who recently screened for suicidal ideation in primary care (n = 28) and mental health (n = 32) settings completed interviews. Many patients described therapeutic experiences following disclosure, including caring staff, timely follow-up care, and offers of multiple treatment options. Other patients, however, reported deficits in staff empathy, long waits for follow-up care, or inadequate treatment options. Conclusions: While many VA clinical settings provided empathic and helpful responses, these experiences were not universal. Our findings reinforce the importance of a patient-centered approach to screening and response to disclosure, including collaboration with patients in treatment planning. Improved follow-up care coordination processes are needed. Following disclosure, contact with the staff who received the disclosure also helps patients feel cared about, and provides opportunity to troubleshoot barriers a patient may experience in accessing care.
KW - Mental health
KW - Patient-centered care
KW - Primary care
KW - Suicide
KW - Veterans
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U2 - 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.01.004
DO - 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2024.01.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 38266442
AN - SCOPUS:85183628011
SN - 0163-8343
VL - 87
SP - 7
EP - 12
JO - General Hospital Psychiatry
JF - General Hospital Psychiatry
ER -