Inflammation and suicide risk in adolescents with self-injury: Expanding the role of mental health nursing.

Abstract

Recently, inflammatory cytokine profiles have been linked to suicide risk in adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury, highlighting a promising biological dimension of suicide risk assessment. Clinical translation of the cytokine profiles into practice will require frontline engagement of the workforce. Mental health nurses are frequently the most accessible professionals in schools, communities, and low-resource settings and are prime candidates to bridge this gap. By integrating psychosocial evaluation with emerging biomarker data, they can deliver systematic risk assessment, continuous monitoring, and timely intervention. This role would not replace psychiatric expertise; it would extend the reach of psychiatric services, embedding suicide prevention across the continuum of care. For health systems, nurse-led integration may enhance capacity, equity, and resilience in responding to adolescent suicide risk. This editorial demonstrates that empowering nurses to operationalize biomarker-informed strategies is needed for advancing effective and sustainable suicide prevention in this vulnerable population.