# Study 1: Screening Guru

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2021 · $73,334

## Abstract

Study One, “Screening Guru” Abstract
The adolescent suicide rate has increased by more than 20% in the past decade and is now the second
leading cause of death for adolescents. Depression is the single most important contributor to suicidal ideation,
attempt, and death by suicide among adolescents aged 12-17.11. Screening for mental health problems in
general, and for depression and suicidality in particular, is a national priority. Even when routine screening is
implemented, initiation of treatment is low. One critical barrier to starting depression treatment is whether
adolescents and their parent(s) perceive a need for mental health treatment. Perceived need for mental health
care services is a known predictor of service use, but may be low when depression is not the presenting
concern but rather is identified on a routine screening questionnaire. This project seeks to increase the rate of
appropriate referrals by primary care providers and treatment initiation among adolescents who screen positive
for depression or suicidal ideation by: 1) assessing adolescents’ and their parents’ barriers to following through
with clinician-recommended care prior to the start of treatment; and 2) providing clinicians with decision-
support recommendations that are personalized to the adolescent’s clinical presentation, treatment
preferences, and barriers. This will be accomplished through three specific aims. Aim 1 is to develop an
automated decision-support system (DSS) that will guide primary care providers in making personalized
treatment recommendations to adolescents presenting with symptoms of depression and risk for suicide at the
time of the office encounter. Aim 2 is to test the effectiveness of the DSS, using a stepped wedge design, at
increasing primary care providers’ rate of personalized referrals in a pilot trial (N = 120) of adolescents aged
12-17.11 years who screen positive for depression and/or suicidality during a routine primary care visit. Aim 3
is to explore the impact of the DSS on service utilization and symptom reduction. This project is innovative
because there currently is no support tool for PCPs assessing depressed adolescents, the tool integrates
information about suicidal risk using an adaptive screen, severity of depression, and patient and parent
motivation, barriers, and treatment preferences to provide the PCP with a personalized recommendation for
the patient. The study has the potential to improve care following depression screening by reducing variability
in PCPs’ treatment recommendations, and increasing PCPs’ awareness of potential barriers to care so as to
provide a referral that reflects the patient’s clinical needs and also increases patients’ engagement with
recommended care.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10136103
- **Project number:** 5P50MH115838-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** OLIVER JAMES LINDHIEM
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $73,334
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-17 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10136103

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10136103, Study 1: Screening Guru (5P50MH115838-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10136103. Licensed CC0.

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