Mental health treatment patterns among adults with recent suicide attempts in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: We examined mental health treatment patterns among adults with suicide attempts in the past 12 months in the United States. METHODS: We examined data from 2000 persons, aged 18 years or older, who participated in the 2008 to 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and who reported attempting suicide in the past 12 months. We applied descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: In adults who attempted suicide in the past year, 56.3% received mental health treatment, but half of those who received treatment perceived unmet treatment needs, and of the 43.0% who did not receive mental health treatment, one fourth perceived unmet treatment needs. From 2008 to 2012, the mental health treatment rate among suicide attempters remained unchanged. Factors associated with receipt of mental health treatment varied by perceived unmet treatment need and receipt of medical attention that resulted from a suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide prevention strategies that focus on suicide attempters are needed to increase their access to mental health treatments that meet their needs. To be effective, these strategies need to account for language and cultural differences and barriers to financial and treatment delivery.