TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) issued an alert to healthcare providers on Thursday to raise awareness of a recent increase in emergency department visits for suicide attempts among females and to encourage providers to use evidence-based suicide prevention resources and practices.
In the month of July 2023, 162 suicide-related events occurred in Kansas among females. This is greater than two standard deviations above the previous 3-month mean of 126.7
KDHE is urging healthcare providers to become familiar with warning signs for suicide, suicide prevention practices, and community resources.
Immediate warning signs of suicide include talking about suicide, having a plan, expressing hopelessness about the future, and making preparations for suicide such as giving away belongings, writing a suicide note, or looking for means to attempt suicide.
Other potential warning signs can include changes in energy levels (i.e., unusual fatigue or more energy), lack of concentration, changes in personal hygiene, increased risky behavior such as use of alcohol or drugs, withdrawl from social activities, experience of loss, and. spending more time in isolation