Information seeks to understand clinical presentation of active suicidality and passive wish for death in the context of cancer treatment, differences between their respective presentations, and ways in which active suicidality and passive wish for death may need to be conceptualized and treated differently in the context of cancer compared to the general population. It also seeks to understand cultural/racial/ethnic differences in endorsement of these clinical phenomena. Understanding in these areas can assist providers in determining appropriate level of suicide risk, making informed decisions about whether to consult mental health providers, and determining necessity of psychotropic medication and/or psychiatric hospitalization to mitigate suicide risk.

We will promote more thorough assessment, conceptualization and treatment of safety risk in the context of cancer treatment, with sensitivity to myriad cultural/racial/ethnic considerations. Individuals with a cancer diagnosis are more likely to endorse active suicidality and passive wish for death compared to the general population. However, when responding to safety-related questions from providers, patients are more likely to endorse passive thoughts/worries related to death/dying than active ideation/plan/intent to hurt themselves. This is important to note, given that a) it is more “normal” for patients with cancer to have preoccupying thoughts or concerns about death dying, and b) treatment approaches to active suicidality versus passive wish for death may vary significantly.