Understanding warning signs to predict near-term suicide risk in hospitalized adults
Official title: Mixed methods examination of warning signs within 24 hours of suicide attempt in hospitalized adults
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11401744 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at warning signs that may indicate someone in the hospital after a suicide attempt is at imminent risk, with the goal of guiding decisions in emergency care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $766,886 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH133587-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401744 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who are currently hospitalized for a suicide attempt and who can share their narrative story in a research setting.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who do not experience higher near-term risk signals or who are not representative of the target population may see limited personal benefit.
What this research studies
If you’re an adult who has recently been hospitalized after a suicide attempt, this study will listen to your story and analyze language to identify signals that predict near-term risk. It will involve interviews and advanced analysis at two academic medical centers to create practical risk estimates and new detection algorithms. The researchers aim to compare these signals with current risk assessments to improve decision making in the ED and crisis response. The work is designed to translate complex findings into tools that clinicians and patients can use in real time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to better, faster identification of people at imminent risk and improve safety planning and care in emergency and crisis settings.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has explored warning signs and linguistic markers, but this study advances by focusing on near-term risk within minutes to a day and combining narratives with algorithmic detection.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bagge, Courtney L — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Bagge, Courtney L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
DBT skills groups for Veterans at high risk of suicide
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-
Immediate warning signs in the day after a suicide attempt for hospitalized adults
This work looks for short-term warning signs in adults hospitalized after a suicide attempt by asking them to tell their story and analyzing their words and responses.
-
A therapy group to help veterans at high risk for suicide manage their emotions.
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Testing a brief intervention for people who have recently attempted suicide
This study is looking at how well a short program called ASSIP can help people who have recently tried to take their own lives, by offering three supportive sessions to reduce the chances of future attempts, and it's designed to be easy to access in community mental health settings.
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Understanding Invisible Suicide Risks in Youth: A National Study in Guyana
A nationwide study in Guyana aims to learn about hidden factors that contribute to suicide risk among young people so we can prevent tragedy.
-
Mobile safety planning for at-risk young adults
A digital, text-based safety planning program for young adults (ages 18–24) to help prevent suicide and stay connected to support.
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.