ERIC Number: EJ1479715
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0744-8481
EISSN: EISSN-1940-3208
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Utilization of the Social Media Platform Snapchat in the Care of an Acutely Suicidal Individual
Jose V. Nable1; Marisa J. Davis1; Jonathan E. Davis1
Journal of American College Health, v73 n6 p2370-2372 2025
Background/Case Presentation: An 18-year-old female college student shared an electronic message with her friends in which she discussed plans to harm herself through the ingestion of a highly toxic substance. Concerned friends activated emergency healthcare resources, who were dispatched to the individual's residence. Based on the known toxicity of the substance, locating the individual expeditiously to ensure her safety and well-being remained paramount. Upon arrival of collegiate-based health services, emergency medical services, and law enforcement, however, the individual was unable to be located. University healthcare and prehospital providers quickly recognized that the individual's recent location was visible to her friends through the social media platform Snapchat. Based on information gathered from her shared friends on the social media platform, a geo-location was identified. Law enforcement and EMS personnel canvased the identified area, successfully locating the individual. Conclusion: This case highlights the innovative use of smartphone technology to locate a person experiencing an acute medical emergency who hadn't summoned the services on her own.
Descriptors: College Students, Females, Suicide, Mental Health, Social Media, Intervention, Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Health Services
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Department of Emergency Medicine, MedStar Health, Columbia, Maryland, USA