Table 1.

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of ED and Hospital Visits for Suicide Ideation or Attempt Among US Adolescents With Medicaid (2009–12)

	ED Treat-and-Release		ED-to-Hospital Admission		P Value
Visit Characteristics	n	%	n	%
Total	62,139	67	30,312	33
Sex					<.001
Female	32,416	52	17,521	58
Male	29,723	48	12,791	42
Age, median (IQR)	14	11–16	15	14–16	<.001
Age					<.001
Age 6–12 years	19,661	32	4907	16
Age 13–17 years	42,478	68	25,405	84
Race/ethnicity					<.001
White	28,203	45	13,970	46
Black	12,466	20	5722	19
Hispanic	10,761	17	4534	15
Other	10,709	17	6086	20
Type of Medicaid plan					<.001
Comprehensive managed care	45,558	73	22,269	74
Behavioral health managed care	8119	13	3626	12
Fee for service	8462	14	4417	15
Reason for Medicaid eligibility					<.001
Disability	9269	15	4720	16
Income	47,185	76	21,866	72
Foster care	5685	9	3726	12
Chronic health conditions*
Complex chronic physical health condition	17,146	28	11,118	37	<.001
Chronic psychiatric condition	13,957	23	25,284	83	<.001
Reason for visit					<.001
Suicide ideation only	19,710	32	14,504	48
Any suicide attempt	42,429	68	15,808	52
Poisoning	38,596	62	13,492	45	<.001
Other self-injury	3833	6	2316	8	<.001
Children’s hospital encounter	4556	7	4389	15	<.001
Length of stay in days, median (IQR)	1	1–1	6	3–8	<.001

CI indicates confidence interval; ED, emergency department; and IQR, interquartile range.

^*Chronic health condition diagnoses were ascertained from the index SI/SA ED visit and any visits in the eligibility period preceding the ED visit.