Objective: Suicide is an increasing public health problem for adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this study was to identify the frequency of physician assistants' (PAs') self-reported adolescent suicide risk assessments and to elicit salient beliefs regarding behavioral attitudes, norm referents, control factors, and intention to conduct suicide risk assessment with adolescents.
Methods: A convenience sample of PAs completed an anonymous cross-sectional questionnaire. Relationships were assessed using bivariate analyses and qualitative theme analysis.
Results: Forty-three PAs completed the questionnaire. Many PAs supported suicide risk assessment screening as a strategy to identify adolescents who are suicidal at an earlier stage of their illness; lack of time during the visit and problematic parental involvement were identified as barriers.
Conclusions: PAs recognized that screening adolescents for suicide ideation may help prevent suicides. Their practice behaviors, however, did not correspond to this belief.
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