Keeping teens safe from suicide risk
Prevention and Assessment of Risk in Teens (PART) Longitudinal Study
This project uses medical records and a coordinated clinic program to better find and help teens at risk of suicide in pediatric primary care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11109730 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building and refining a computer tool that analyzes electronic health records to spot teens who may be at risk for suicide, including those who do not report suicidal thoughts on routine depression screens. The tool will be tested first at the University of Pittsburgh and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, compared with other algorithms, and adjusted to work accurately across different demographic groups. The team will also pilot iCHART, an integrated care approach to connect identified teens to follow-up support and treatment within primary care. Results will be used to improve screening in clinics and to recruit teens for related smaller trials that try new ways to reach and treat at-risk youth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adolescents who receive care in participating pediatric primary care clinics, especially those with depression, anhedonia, prior self-harm, or other suicide risk factors, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not adolescents, who do not receive care in the participating health systems, or whose risk occurs outside of healthcare contacts are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help clinics identify more at-risk teens earlier and get them timely, coordinated help to reduce suicide attempts.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work shows EHR-based risk models and integrated primary care programs can help identify and reduce suicidal behavior in some settings, but results have been mixed and performance often varies by population.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Melhem, Nadine M. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Melhem, Nadine M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.