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Riblet NB, Matsunaga S, Shiner B, Schnurr PP, Watts BV. Are suicide risk scales sensitive to change? A scoping review. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:170-178. [PMID: 36931135 PMCID: PMC10149613 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clinician- or self-administered scales are frequently used to assist in detecting risk of death by suicide and to determine the effectiveness of interventions. No recent review studies have examined whether these scales are sensitive to change. We conducted a scoping review to identify suicide risk scales that are sensitive to change. MATERIAL AND METHODS We searched Medline and Excerpta Medica Database from inception through March 17, 2022, to identify randomized trials, pooled analysis, quasi-experimental studies, and cohort studies reporting on sensitivity to change of suicide risk scales. We assessed sensitivity to change by examining internal and external responsiveness. Internal responsiveness evaluates whether the scale measures changes in suicide-related symptoms in response to an intervention while external responsiveness assess whether changes in the scale correspond to changes in risk of suicide. We summarized findings across studies using descriptive analysis. RESULTS Among 38 eligible scales, we identified 27 scales that included items that were modifiable to change. However, only 7 scales had been studied to determine their sensitivity to change based on internal or external responsiveness. While the results of studies suggested that 6 scales have internal responsiveness, none of the included studies confirmed that scales have external responsiveness. DISCUSSION A few suicide risk scales are internally responsive and may be useful in a clinical or research setting. It is unclear, however, whether changes in scores correspond to an actual change in suicide risk. Future research should confirm the external responsiveness of scales using robust metrics including suicide mortality.
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Riblet NB, Young-Xu Y, Shiner B, Schnurr PP, Watts BV. The efficacy and safety of buprenorphine for the treatment of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:393-401. [PMID: 37019069 PMCID: PMC10149594 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive disorders are common. Many patients with major depression do not achieve remission with available treatments. Buprenorphine has been raised as a potential treatment for depression as well as suicidal behavior but may pose certain risks. METHODS A meta-analysis comparing the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of buprenorphine (or combinations such as buprenorphine/samidorphan) versus control in improving symptoms in patients with depression. Medline, Cochrane Database, PsycINFO, Excerpta Medica Database and The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched from inception through January 2, 2022. Depressive symptoms were pooled using Hedge's g with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Tolerability, safety, suicide outcomes were summarized qualitatively. RESULTS 11 studies (N = 1699) met inclusion criteria. Buprenorphine had a small effect on depressive symptoms (Hedges' g 0.17, 95%CI: 0.05-0.29). Results were driven by six trials of buprenorphine/samidorphan (N = 1,343, Hedges's g 0.17, 95%CI: 0.04-0.29). One study reported significant improvement in suicidal thoughts (Least Squares Mean Change: -7.1, 95%CI: -12.0 - 2.3). Most studies found buprenorphine was well-tolerated with no evidence of abuse behavior or dependency. CONCLUSIONS Buprenorphine may have a small benefit for depressive symptoms. Future research should clarify the dose response relationship between buprenorphine and depression.
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Reger GM, Smolenski D, Williams R, Norr AM, Foa E, Kuhn E, Schnurr PP, Weathers F, Zoellner L. Design and methods of a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of the PE Coach mobile application on prolonged exposure among veterans with PTSD. Contemp Clin Trials 2023; 127:107115. [PMID: 36758935 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about the impact of mobile applications (apps) designed to support patients progressing through an evidence-based psychotherapy. Prolonged exposure (PE) is an efficacious treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and PE Coach is a treatment companion app that may increase patient engagement with the active components of PE, thereby supporting recovery. METHODS This paper describes a randomized clinical trial that will evaluate PE delivered with and without PE Coach at post-treatment, and 1-month and 4-months post-treatment. Veterans with PTSD (N = 124) will be randomized (1:1) to conditions and complete up to 15 treatment sessions based on a priori defined termination criteria. We hypothesize that compared to PE without PE Coach, PE with the app will result in greater improvements in PTSD-related social and occupational functioning (primary outcome is the PTSD-Related Functioning Inventory), quality of life, and greater reductions in functional impairment, neurobehavioral symptoms, depression, and suicidal ideation (Aim 1). We also hypothesize that including PE Coach will reduce assessor-masked PTSD symptom severity, relative to PE without the app, as assessed by the revised Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (Aim 2). We hypothesize that PE Coach will facilitate increased treatment adherence, as measured by completion of PE homework (Aim 3). We will explore the impact of PE Coach on treatment engagement, as measured by reduced treatment dropout. CONCLUSION Data on the outcomes of PE Coach can inform dissemination efforts and help evaluate the return on investment to guide future mental health app development. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER ClinicalTrials.govNCT04959695.
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Na PJ, Schnurr PP, Pietrzak RH. Mental health of U.S. combat veterans by war era: Results from the National health and Resilience in veterans study. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 158:36-40. [PMID: 36565542 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Combat exposure is associated with elevated risk for adverse psychiatric outcomes in military veterans. However, few studies have examined psychiatric characteristics of veterans who served in different war eras. We analyzed data from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1257 US combat veterans including World War II or Korean War veterans (n = 61, weighted 4.9%), Vietnam War veterans (n = 767, weighted 44.5%), Gulf War veterans (n = 168, weighted 14.5%), and Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans (n = 261, weighted 36.2%). Sociodemographic, military, and mental health factors were examined. Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan War era veterans were comprised of younger veterans and included more women and racial/ethnic minorities relative to previous era veterans. Overall, Gulf and Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans endorsed greater trauma burden, and were more likely to screen positive for lifetime and current major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as current suicidal ideation. Among all war era groups, Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans reported the greatest lifetime trauma and combat exposure severity, and were most likely to screen positive for lifetime PTSD (weighted 29.3%), current alcohol use disorder (weighted 17.2%), and current drug use disorder (weighted 12.4%). Specifically, more than 1-in-4 Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans (weighted 26.3%) reported current suicidal thoughts. Collectively, these findings provide war-era specific characterization of the psychiatric status of US combat veterans, which may help inform era-specific assessment, monitoring, and treatment of psychiatric disorders in the combat veteran population.
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Riblet NB, Matsunaga S, Lee Y, Young-Xu Y, Shiner B, Schnurr PP, Levis M, Watts BV. Tools to Detect Risk of Death by Suicide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Psychiatry 2022; 84:21r14385. [PMID: 36383739 PMCID: PMC9890591 DOI: 10.4088/jcp.21r14385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Objective: There is limited knowledge about the ability of instruments to detect risk of suicide in a range of settings. Prior reviews have not considered whether the utility of instruments depends on prior probability of risk. We performed a systematic review to determine the diagnostic accuracy of instruments to detect risk of suicide in adults using likelihood ratio analysis. This method aids evaluation of prior probabilities of risk. Data Sources: We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and Scopus from inception through January 19, 2021. Study Selection: We included clinical trials, observational studies, and quasi-experimental studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of instruments to detect risk of suicide in adults. There were no language restrictions. Data Extraction: Three reviewers in duplicate assessed full texts to determine eligibility and extracted data from included studies. Positive (LR+) and negative likelihood ratio (LR-) and 95% CIs were calculated for each instrument. Results: Thirty studies met inclusion criteria. Most instruments showed minimal utility to detect or rule out risk of suicide, with LR+ ≤ 2.0 and LR- ≥ 0.5. A few instruments had a high utility for improving risk detection in emergency department, inpatient mental health, and prison settings when patients scored above the cutoff (LR+ > 10). For example, among patients discharged from an emergency department, the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale-Clinical Practice Screener had a LR+ of 10.3 (95% CI, 6.3-16.8) at 3-month follow-up. The clinical utility of the instruments depends on the pretest probability of suicide in the setting. Because studies spanned over 6 decades, the findings are at risk for secular trends. Discussion: We identified several instruments that may hold promise for detecting risk of suicide in emergency department, inpatient mental health, or prison settings. The utility of the instrument hinges, in part, on baseline suicide risk. Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42021285528.
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Shiner B, Huybrechts K, Gui J, Rozema L, Forehand J, Watts BV, Jiang T, Hoyt JE, Esteves J, Schnurr PP, Ray K, Gradus JL. Comparative Effectiveness of Direct-Acting Antivirals for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans Affairs Patients With Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Am J Epidemiol 2022; 191:1614-1625. [PMID: 35689641 PMCID: PMC9989349 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwac104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently conducted an exploratory study that indicated that several direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), highly effective medications for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, were also associated with improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a national cohort of US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients treated between October 1, 1999, and September 30, 2019. Limiting the same cohort to patients with PTSD and HCV, we compared the associations of individual DAAs with PTSD symptom improvement using propensity score weighting. After identifying patients who had available baseline and endpoint PTSD symptom data as measured with the PTSD Checklist (PCL), we compared changes over the 8-12 weeks of DAA treatment. The DAAs most prescribed in conjunction with PCL measurement were glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB; n = 54), sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (SOF/VEL; n = 54), and ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF; n = 145). GLE/PIB was superior to LDV/SOF, with a mean difference in improvement of 7.3 points on the PCL (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 13.6). The mean differences in improvement on the PCL were smaller between GLE/PIB and SOF/VEL (3.0, 95% CI: -6.3, 12.2) and between SOF/VEL and LDV/SOF (4.4, 95% CI: -2.4, 11.2). While almost all patients were cured of HCV (92.5%) regardless of the agent received, PTSD outcomes were superior for those receiving GLE/PIB compared with those receiving LDV/SOF, indicating that GLE/PIB may merit further investigation as a potential PTSD treatment.
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Kehle-Forbes SM, Nelson D, Norman SB, Schnurr PP, Shea MT, Ackland PE, Meis L, Possemato K, Polusny MA, Oslin D, Hamblen JL, Galovski T, Kenny M, Babajide N, Hagedorn H. Comparative effectiveness of trauma-focused and non-trauma-focused psychotherapy for PTSD among veterans with comorbid substance use disorders: Protocol & rationale for a randomized clinical trial. Contemp Clin Trials 2022; 120:106876. [PMID: 35987487 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUDs) is common and concurrent treatment is recommended. Relatively little is known about which evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD are most effective for patients with varying substance use profiles. We aim to examine the comparative effectiveness of trauma-focused therapy (TFT) and non-trauma-focused therapy (NTFT) among Veterans with PTSD and SUD. TFT has been found to be effective among those with PTSD/SUD, though effects are smaller and rates of treatment non-completion are higher than in those without SUD. NTFTs suggested for the treatment of PTSD, such as Present Centered Therapy, (PCT) have not been examined among those with co-occurring SUD, despite lower rates of treatment dropout. We will also examine the comparative effectiveness of TFT and NTFT for patients with varying SUD severity, type of substances used, and patient treatment preference. METHOD 420 Veterans with PTSD and SUD will be randomized in a prospective, pragmatic comparative effectiveness trial at 14 Veterans Health Administration facilities. Participants will receive either TFT (Prolonged Exposure or Cognitive Processing Therapy) or NTFT (PCT) after enrolling in concurrent SUD treatment-as-usual. Assessments will occur at baseline, posttreatment, 3- and 6 -months posttreatment. Main outcomes are PTSD symptom severity and PTSD treatment dropout. Clinician, patient, and leadership stakeholder panels advise study activities, and a process evaluation will identify strategies to enhance the implementation of evidence-based PTSD treatments in SUD care settings. CONCLUSIONS Results will provide critical information to guide clinicians when recommending PTSD treatments to patients with comorbid SUD. CLINICALTRIALS gov Identifier: NCT04581434.
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Fortney JC, Rajan S, Reisinger HS, Moeckli J, Nolan JP, Wong ES, Rise P, Petrova VV, Sayre GG, Pyne JM, Grubaugh A, Simsek-Duran F, Grubbs KM, Morland LA, Felker B, Schnurr PP. Deploying a telemedicine collaborative care intervention for posttraumatic stress disorder in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: A stepped wedge evaluation of an adaptive implementation strategy. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2022; 77:109-117. [PMID: 35596963 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To address barriers to trauma-focused psychotherapy for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we compared two implementation strategies to promote the deployment of telemedicine collaborative care. METHOD We conducted a Hybrid Type III Effectiveness Implementation trial at six VA medical centers and their 12 affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinics. The trial used a stepped wedge design and an adaptive implementation strategy that started with standard implementation, followed by enhanced implementation for VA medical centers that did not achieve the performance benchmark. Implementation outcomes for the 544 veterans sampled from the larger population targeted by the intervention were assessed from chart review (care management enrollment and receipt of trauma-focused psychotherapy) and telephone survey (perceived access and PTSD symptoms) after each implementation phase. The primary outcome was enrollment in care management. RESULTS There was no significant difference between standard implementation and enhanced implementation on any of the implementation outcomes. 41.6% of sampled veterans had a care manager encounter, but only 6.0% engaged in trauma-focused psychotherapy. CONCLUSIONS While telemedicine collaborative care was shown to be effective at engaging veterans in trauma-focused psychotherapy in a randomized controlled trial, neither standard nor enhanced implementation strategies were sufficient to support successful deployment into routine care. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02737098.
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Kehle-Forbes SM, Ackland PE, Spoont MR, Meis LA, Orazem RJ, Lyon A, Valenstein-Mah HR, Schnurr PP, Zickmund SL, Foa EB, Chard KM, Alpert E, Polusny MA. Divergent experiences of U.S. veterans who did and did not complete trauma-focused therapies for PTSD: A national qualitative study of treatment dropout. Behav Res Ther 2022; 154:104123. [PMID: 35644083 PMCID: PMC9873271 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are first-line treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have been disseminated throughout the U.S. Veterans Health Administration. Treatment non-completion is common and lessens clinical effectiveness; however, prior work has failed to identify factors consistently associated with non-completion. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a national sample of veterans who recently completed (n = 60) or did not complete (n = 66) PE or CPT. Non-completer interviews focused on factors that contributed to veterans' decisions to drop out and efforts undertaken to complete PE/CPT. Completer interviews focused on challenges faced in completing treatment and facilitators of completion. Transcripts were coded using a mixed deductive/inductive approach; constant comparison was used to identify differences between completers and non-completers. Completers and non-completers differed in the extent of treatment-specific therapist support received, therapists' flexibility in treatment delivery, the type of encouragement offered by the care team and social supports, their interpretation of symptom worsening, the perceived impact of treatment on functioning, and the impact of stressors on their treatment engagement. Treatment-specific therapist support, more patient-centered and flexible treatment delivery, leveraging the full care team, and addressing functional concerns are potential targets for PE and CPT engagement interventions.
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Hamblen JL, Grubbs KM, Cole B, Schnurr PP, Harik JM. "Will it work for me?" Developing patient-friendly graphical displays of posttraumatic stress disorder treatment effectiveness. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:999-1010. [PMID: 35261090 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this study was to create simple visual displays to help patients understand the benefits of evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We reviewed randomized trials of the most effective individual, trauma-focused psychotherapies and first-line antidepressants for adults with PTSD. The analytic sample included 65 treatment arms from 41 trials. We used binomial logistic regression to estimate the proportion of participants who lost their PTSD diagnosis at posttreatment and created a sample icon array to display these estimates. We provide a range of estimates (0-100) based on varying the percentage of the sample with a military affiliation. The percentage of participants who no longer met the diagnostic criteria for PTSD among civilian populations was 64.3% for trauma-focused treatment, 56.9% for SSRI/SNRI, and 16.7% for waitlist/minimal attention. For military populations, the proportions of participants who no longer met the diagnostic criteria were 44.2%, 36.7%, and 8.1%, respectively. We present icon arrays for 0%, 7%, 50%, and 100% military affiliation displaying 100 icons, a portion of which were shaded to indicate the number of participants that no longer met the PTSD criteria following treatment. After evidence-based treatment, between one third and two thirds of participants no longer met the PTSD criteria. Providers can use the icon array developed in this study with patients to facilitate communication regarding PTSD treatment effectiveness.
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Bryant RA, Schnurr PP, Pedlar D. Addressing the mental health needs of civilian combatants in Ukraine. Lancet Psychiatry 2022; 9:346-347. [PMID: 35305300 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(22)00097-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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Shiner B, Forehand JA, Rozema L, Kulldorff M, Watts BV, Trefethen M, Jiang T, Huybrechts KF, Schnurr PP, Vincenti M, Gui J, Gradus JL. Mining Clinical Data for Novel Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Medications. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:647-657. [PMID: 34952698 PMCID: PMC8918007 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the prevalence and negative impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are few medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment, and approved medications do not work well enough. We leveraged large-scale electronic health record data to identify existing medications that may be repurposed as PTSD treatments. METHODS We constructed a mechanistic tree of all Food and Drug Administration-approved medications and used the tree-based scan statistic to identify medications associated with greater than expected levels of clinically meaningful improvement in PTSD symptoms using electronic health record data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Our cohort included patients with a diagnosis of PTSD who had repeated symptom measurements using the PTSD Checklist over a 20-year period (N = 168,941). We calculated observed numbers based on patients taking each drug or mechanistically related class of drugs and the expected numbers based on the tree as a whole. RESULTS Medications typically used to treat PTSD, such as the Food and Drug Administration-approved agent sertraline, were associated with improvement in PTSD symptoms, but the effects were small. Several, but not all, direct-acting antivirals used in the treatment of hepatitis C virus demonstrated a strong association with PTSD improvement. The finding was robust to a sensitivity analysis excluding patients who received established PTSD treatments, including trauma-focused psychotherapy, concurrent with hepatitis treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our exploratory approach both demonstrated findings that are consistent with what is known about pharmacotherapy for PTSD and uncovered a novel class of medications that may improve PTSD symptoms.
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Dong L, Meredith LS, Farmer CM, Ahluwalia SC, Chen PG, Bouskill K, Han B, Qureshi N, Dalton S, Watson P, Schnurr PP, Davis K, Tobin JN, Cassells A, Gidengil CA. Protecting the mental and physical well-being of frontline health care workers during COVID-19: Study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial. Contemp Clin Trials 2022; 117:106768. [PMID: 35470104 PMCID: PMC9023359 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has placed health care workers at unprecedented risk of stress, burnout, and moral injury. This paper describes the design of an ongoing cluster randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of Stress First Aid (SFA) to Usual Care (UC) in protecting the well-being of frontline health care workers. Methods We plan to recruit a diverse set of hospitals and health centers (eight matched pairs of hospitals and six pairs of centers), with a goal of approximately 50 HCW per health center and 170 per hospital. Participating sites in each pair are randomly assigned to SFA or UC (i.e., whatever psychosocial support is currently being received by HCW). Each site identified a leader to provide organizational support of the study; SFA sites also identified at least one champion to be trained in the intervention. Using a “train the trainer” model, champions in turn trained their peers in selected HCW teams or units to implement SFA over an eight-week period. We surveyed HCW before and after the implementation period. The primary outcomes are posttraumatic stress disorder and general psychological distress; secondary outcomes include depression and anxiety symptoms, sleep problems, social functioning problems, burnout, moral distress, and resilience. In addition, through in-depth qualitative interviews with leaders, champions, and HCW, we assessed the implementation of SFA, including acceptability, feasibility, and uptake. Discussion Results from this study will provide initial evidence for the application of SFA to support HCW well-being during a pandemic. Trial registration: (Clinicaltrials.govNCT04723576).
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Cypel Y, Schnurr PP, Schneiderman AI, Culpepper WJ, Akhtar FZ, Morley SW, Fried DA, Ishii EK, Davey VJ. The mental health of Vietnam theater veterans-the lasting effects of the war: 2016-2017 Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:605-618. [PMID: 35290689 PMCID: PMC9310606 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Mental health data from the 2016-2017 Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study (VE-HEROeS) were analyzed by cohort, represented by United States Vietnam theater veterans (VTs) who served in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos; nontheater veterans (NTs) without theater service; and age- and sex-matched nonveterans (NVs) without military service. The exposure of interest was Vietnam theater service. Surveys mailed to random samples of veterans (n = 42,393) and nonveterans (n = 6,885) resulted in response rates of 45.0% for veterans (n = 6,735 VTs, Mage = 70.09, SE = 0.04; n = 12,131 NTs) and 67.0% for NVs (n = 4,530). We examined self-report data on four mental health outcomes: probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, psychological distress, and overall mental health functioning. Weighted adjusted odds ratios (aORs) between each outcome and cohort were estimated, controlling for covariates in four models: cohort plus sociodemographic variables (Model 1), Model 1 plus physical health variables (Model 2), Model 2 plus potentially traumatic events (PTEs; Model 3), and Model 3 plus other military service variables (Model 4). Mental health outcome prevalence was highest for VTs versus other cohorts, with the largest aOR, 2.88, for PTSD, 95% CI [2.46, 3.37], p < .001 (Model 4, VT:NT). Physical health and PTEs contributed most to observed effects; other service variables contributed least to aORs overall. Mental health dysfunction persists among VTs years after the war's end. The present results reaffirm previous findings and highlight the need for continued mental health surveillance in VTs.
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Norman SB, Capone C, Panza KE, Haller M, Davis BC, Schnurr PP, Shea MT, Browne K, Norman GJ, Lang AJ, Kline AC, Golshan S, Allard CB, Angkaw A. A clinical trial comparing trauma-informed guilt reduction therapy (TrIGR), a brief intervention for trauma-related guilt, to supportive care therapy. Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:262-273. [PMID: 35075738 DOI: 10.1002/da.23244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Trauma-related guilt is common, associated with posttraumatic mental health problems, and can persist after posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment. We compared the efficacy of two six-session psychotherapies, Trauma-Informed Guilt Reduction (TrIGR) and Supportive Care Therapy (SCT), for reducing trauma-related guilt. TrIGR helps patients accurately appraise their role in the trauma and re-engage in values. In SCT, patients guide session content. METHODS A total of 184 veterans seeking VA mental health services were enrolled across two sites; 145 veterans (mean age: 39.2 [8.1]; 92.4% male; 84.8% with PTSD) who endorsed guilt related to a traumatic event that occurred during a post 9/11 Iraq or Afghanistan deployment were randomized and assessed at baseline, posttreatment, 3- and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS Linear mixed models using intent-to-treat analyses showed guilt decreased in both conditions with a greater decrease for TrIGR (treatment × time, -0.22; F 1, 455.2 = 18.49, p = .001; d = 0.92) than supportive therapy. PTSD and depressive symptoms showed the same pattern. TrIGR had significantly higher likelihood of PTSD treatment response (67% vs. 40%), loss of PTSD diagnosis (50% vs. 14%), and meaningful change in depression (54% vs. 27%) than supportive therapy. Psychological distress and trait shame improved in both conditions. Quality of life did not change. CONCLUSIONS Targeting guilt appears to be an effective means for reducing posttraumatic symptoms and distress.
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Gradus JL, Rosellini AJ, Szentkúti P, Horváth-Puhó E, Smith ML, Galatzer-Levy I, Lash TL, Galea S, Schnurr PP, Sørensen HT. Using Danish national registry data to understand psychopathology following potentially traumatic experiences. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:619-630. [PMID: 35084778 PMCID: PMC9035023 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Research on posttraumatic psychopathology has focused primarily on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); other posttraumatic psychiatric diagnoses are less well documented. The present study aimed to (a) develop a methodology to derive a cohort of individuals who experienced potentially traumatic events (PTEs) from registry-based data and (b) examine the risk of psychopathology within 5 years of experiencing a PTE. Using data from Danish national registries, we created a cohort of individuals with no age restrictions (range: 0-108 years) who experienced at least one of eight possible PTEs between 1994 and 2016 (N = 1,406,637). We calculated the 5-year incidence of nine categories of ICD-10 psychiatric disorders among this cohort and examined standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs) comparing the incidence of psychopathology in this group to the incidence in a nontraumatic stressor cohort (i.e., nonsuicide death of a relative; n = 423,270). Stress disorders (2.5%), substance use disorders (4.1%), and depressive disorders (3.0%) were the most common diagnoses following PTEs. Overall, the SMRs for the associations between any PTE and psychopathology varied from 1.9, 95% CI [1.9, 2.0], for stress disorders to 5.2, 95% CI [5.1. 5.3], for personality disorders. All PTEs except pregnancy-related trauma were associated with all forms of psychopathology. Associations were consistent regardless of whether a stress disorder was present. Traumatic experiences have a broad impact on psychiatric health. The present findings demonstrate one approach to capturing trauma exposure in medical record registry data. Increased traumatic experience characterization across studies will help improve the field's understanding of posttraumatic psychopathology.
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Gradus JL, Rosellini AJ, Szentkúti P, Horváth-Puhó E, Smith ML, Galatzer-Levy I, Lash TL, Galea S, Schnurr PP, Sørensen HT. Pre-trauma predictors of severe psychiatric comorbidity 5 years following traumatic experiences. Int J Epidemiol 2022; 51:1593-1603. [PMID: 35179599 PMCID: PMC9799210 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A minority of persons who have traumatic experiences go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), leading to interest in who is at risk for psychopathology after these experiences. Complicating this effort is the observation that post-traumatic psychopathology is heterogeneous. The goal of this nested case-control study was to identify pre-trauma predictors of severe post-traumatic psychiatric comorbidity, using data from Danish registries. METHODS The source population for this study was the population of Denmark from 1994 through 2016. Cases had received three or more psychiatric diagnoses (across all ICD-10 categories) within 5 years of a traumatic experience (n = 20 361); controls were sampled from the parent cohort using risk-set sampling (n = 81 444). Analyses were repeated in samples stratified by pre-trauma psychiatric diagnoses. We used machine learning methods (classification and regression trees and random forest) to determine the important predictors of severe post-trauma psychiatric comorbidity from among hundreds of pre-trauma predictor variables spanning demographic and social variables, psychiatric and somatic diagnoses and filled medication prescriptions. RESULTS In the full sample, pre-trauma psychiatric diagnoses (e.g. stress disorders, alcohol-related disorders, personality disorders) were the most important predictors of severe post-trauma psychiatric comorbidity. Among persons with no pre-trauma psychiatric diagnoses, demographic and social variables (e.g. marital status), type of trauma, medications used primarily to treat psychiatric symptomatology, anti-inflammatory medications and gastrointestinal distress were important to prediction. Results among persons with pre-trauma psychiatric diagnoses were consistent with the overall sample. CONCLUSIONS This study builds on the understanding of pre-trauma factors that predict psychopathology following traumatic experiences, by examining a broad range of predictors of post-trauma psychopathology and comorbidity beyond PTSD.
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McLean CP, Back SE, Capone C, Morland L, Norman SB, Rauch SAM, Schnurr PP, Teng E, Acierno R. The Impact of COVID-19 on Psychotherapy Participation Among Individuals With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Enrolled in Treatment Research. J Trauma Stress 2022; 35:308-313. [PMID: 34291832 PMCID: PMC8426668 DOI: 10.1002/jts.22718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many aspects of daily life and required a rapid and unprecedented shift in psychotherapy delivery from in-person to telemental health. In the present study, we explored the impact of the pandemic on individuals' ability to participate in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychotherapy and the association between the impact of COVID-19 impact on health and financial well-being and psychotherapy participation. Participants (N = 161, 63.2% male, Mage = 42.7 years) were United States military veterans (n = 108), active duty military personnel (n = 12), and civilians (n = 6), who were participating in one of nine PTSD treatment trials. The results indicate a predominately negative COVID-19 impact on therapy participation, although some participants (26.1%) found attending therapy sessions through telehealth to be easier than in-person therapy. Most participants (66.7%) reported that completing in vivo exposure homework became harder during the pandemic. Moreover, the impact of the pandemic on PTSD symptom severity and daily stress were each associated with increased difficulty with aspects of therapy participation. The findings highlight the unique challenges to engaging in PTSD treatment during the pandemic as well as a negative impact on daily stress and PTSD severity, both of which were related to treatment engagement difficulties.
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Schnurr PP, Chard KM, Ruzek JI, Chow BK, Resick PA, Foa EB, Marx BP, Friedman MJ, Bovin MJ, Caudle KL, Castillo D, Curry KT, Hollifield M, Huang GD, Chee CL, Astin MC, Dickstein B, Renner K, Clancy CP, Collie C, Maieritsch K, Bailey S, Thompson K, Messina M, Franklin L, Lindley S, Kattar K, Luedtke B, Romesser J, McQuaid J, Sylvers P, Varkovitzky R, Davis L, MacVicar D, Shih MC. Comparison of Prolonged Exposure vs Cognitive Processing Therapy for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among US Veterans: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e2136921. [PMID: 35044471 PMCID: PMC8771295 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.36921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent and serious mental health problem. Although there are effective psychotherapies for PTSD, there is little information about their comparative effectiveness. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of prolonged exposure (PE) vs cognitive processing therapy (CPT) for treating PTSD in veterans. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This randomized clinical trial assessed the comparative effectiveness of PE vs CPT among veterans with military-related PTSD recruited from outpatient mental health clinics at 17 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers across the US from October 31, 2014, to February 1, 2018, with follow-up through February 1, 2019. The primary outcome was assessed using centralized masking. Tested hypotheses were prespecified before trial initiation. Data were analyzed from October 5, 2020, to May 5, 2021. INTERVENTIONS Participants were randomized to 1 of 2 individual cognitive-behavioral therapies, PE or CPT, delivered according to a flexible protocol of 10 to 14 sessions. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was change in PTSD symptom severity on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) from before treatment to the mean after treatment across posttreatment and 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Secondary outcomes included other symptoms, functioning, and quality of life. RESULTS Analyses were based on all 916 randomized participants (730 [79.7%] men and 186 [20.3%] women; mean [range] age 45.2 [21-80] years), with 455 participants randomized to PE (mean CAPS-5 score at baseline, 39.9 [95% CI, 39.1-40.7] points) and 461 participants randomized to CPT (mean CAPS-5 score at baseline, 40.3 [95% CI, 39.5-41.1] points). PTSD severity on the CAPS-5 improved substantially in both PE (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.99 [95% CI, 0.89-1.08]) and CPT (SMD, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.61-0.80]) groups from before to after treatment. Mean improvement was greater in PE than CPT (least square mean, 2.42 [95% CI, 0.53-4.31]; P = .01), but the difference was not clinically significant (SMD, 0.17). Results for self-reported PTSD symptoms were comparable with CAPS-5 findings. The PE group had higher odds of response (odds ratio [OR], 1.32 [95% CI, 1.00-1.65]; P < .001), loss of diagnosis (OR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.12-1.74]; P < .001), and remission (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.24-2.00]; P < .001) compared with the CPT group. Groups did not differ on other outcomes. Treatment dropout was higher in PE (254 participants [55.8%]) than in CPT (215 participants [46.6%]; P < .01). Three participants in the PE group and 1 participant in the CPT group were withdrawn from treatment, and 3 participants in each treatment dropped out owing to serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This randomized clinical trial found that although PE was statistically more effective than CPT, the difference was not clinically significant, and improvements in PTSD were meaningful in both treatment groups. These findings highlight the importance of shared decision-making to help patients understand the evidence and select their preferred treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01928732.
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Schnurr PP. Honoring the Career of Matthew J. Friedman, MD, PhD. Psychiatry 2022; 85:153-156. [PMID: 35588491 DOI: 10.1080/00332747.2022.2068924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Marx BP, Lee DJ, Norman SB, Bovin MJ, Sloan DM, Weathers FW, Keane TM, Schnurr PP. Reliable and clinically significant change in the clinician-administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 among male veterans. Psychol Assess 2021; 34:197-203. [PMID: 34941354 DOI: 10.1037/pas0001098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We calculated the reliable change index (RCI) and clinically significant change (CSC) values for two widely used measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): The Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) and examined how symptom changes at these thresholds related to improvements in psychosocial functioning. We used data from three independent samples of male military veterans, including two randomized controlled trials for PTSD (N = 198 for Sample 1 and N = 102 for Sample 2) and a cross-sectional study of primary care patients (N = 228). For Sample 1, within-person change in CAPS-5 and PCL-5 scores of ≥ 13 and 15, respectively, was indicative of reliable change. For Sample 2, within-person change in CAPS-5 and PCL-5 scores of ≥ 12 and 18, respectively, was indicative of reliable change. Scores of ≤ 8 and 28 on the CAPS-5 and PCL-5, respectively, indicated a participant is more likely to belong to the non-PTSD population than the PTSD population (i.e., clinically significant change) in both Samples 1 and 2. Participants who exhibited reliable or CSC reported significantly better psychosocial functioning at all posttreatment assessments than those who did not. Results provide thresholds for identifying clinically meaningful PTSD symptom change using these measures. Care should be taken to interpret these values appropriately and relative to numerous other definitions for meaningful symptom change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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Fikretoglu D, Sharp ML, Adler AB, Bélanger S, Benassi H, Bennett C, Bryant R, Busuttil W, Cramm H, Fear N, Greenberg N, Heber A, Hosseiny F, Hoge CW, Jetly R, McFarlane A, Morganstein J, Murphy D, O'Donnell M, Phelps A, Richardson DJ, Sadler N, Schnurr PP, Smith P, Ursano R, Hooff MV, Wessely S, Forbes D, Pedlar D. Pathways to mental health care in active military populations across the Five-Eyes nations: An integrated perspective. Clin Psychol Rev 2021; 91:102100. [PMID: 34871868 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Military service is associated with increased risk of mental health problems. Previous reviews have pointed to under-utilization of mental health services in military populations. Building on the most recent systematic review, our narrative, critical review takes a complementary approach and considers research across the Five-Eyes nations from the past six years to update and broaden the discussion on pathways to mental healthcare in military populations. We find that at a broad population level, there is improvement in several indicators of mental health care access, with greater gains in initial engagement, time to first treatment contact, and subjective satisfaction with care, and smaller gains in objective indicators of adequacy of care. Among individual-level barriers to care-seeking, there is progress in improving recognition of need for care and reducing stigma concerns. Among organizational-level barriers, there are advances in availability of services and cultural acceptance of care-seeking. Other barriers, such as concerns around confidentiality, career impact, and deployability persist, however, and may account for some remaining unmet need. To address these barriers, new initiatives that are more evidence-based, theoretically-driven, and culturally-sensitive, are therefore needed, and must be rigorously evaluated to ensure they bring about additional improvements in pathways to care.
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Shiner BR, Gui J, Rozema L, Cornelius SL, Dufort V, Schnurr PP, Watts BV. Patient and Clinical Factors Associated With Response to Medications for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 2021; 82. [PMID: 34610227 DOI: 10.4088/jcp.21m13913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, topiramate, and venlafaxine have previously shown efficacy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in randomized clinical trials. Two prior studies using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical records data show these medications are also effective in routine practice. Using an expanded retrospective cohort, we assessed the possibility of differential patterns of response based on patient and clinical factors. Methods: We identified 6,839 VA outpatients with clinical diagnoses of PTSD between October 1999 and September 2019 who initiated one of the medications and met pre-specified criteria for treatment duration and dose, combined with baseline and endpoint PTSD checklist (PCL) measurements. We compared 12-week changes in PCL score within clinical subgroups defined by sex, race and ethnicity, and military exposures, as well as comorbidities. Comorbidities were identified using International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes and grouped according to major diagnostic classifications in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (eg, Psychotic Disorders, Depressive Disorders). We used a propensity score weighting approach to balance covariates among medication arms within each clinical subgroup. In our exploratory analyses using unweighted data for the overall cohort, we built penalized logistic regression models to identify covariates that predicted meaningful improvement. Results: There were no significant differences between medications in our weighted subgroup analyses. In unweighted exploratory analyses, higher baseline PCL scores and concurrent receipt of evidence-based psychotherapy predicted meaningful improvement, while high levels of disability predicted not realizing meaningful improvement. Conclusions: In the largest real-world study of medications for PTSD to date, we did not observe a pattern of differential response among clinical subgroups. All patients taking medications for PTSD, especially those with the highest levels of disability, should consider combined treatment with evidence-based psychotherapy.
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Salas J, Gebauer S, Gillis A, van den Berk-Clark C, Schneider FD, Schnurr PP, Friedman MJ, Norman SB, Tuerk PW, Cohen BE, Lustman PJ, Scherrer JF. Increased Smoking Cessation among Veterans with Large Decreases in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Severity. Nicotine Tob Res 2021; 24:178-185. [PMID: 34477205 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntab179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with better health behavior such as better medication adherence and greater use of nutrition and weight loss programs. However, it is not known if reducing PTSD severity is associated with smoking cessation, a poor health behavior common in patients with PTSD. METHODS Veterans Health Affairs (VHA) medical record data (2008 to 2015) were used to identify patients with PTSD diagnosed in specialty care. Clinically meaningful PTSD improvement, was defined as ≥20 point PTSD Checklist (PCL) decrease from the first PCL ≥ 50 and the last available PCL within 12 months and at least 8 weeks later. The association between clinically meaningful PTSD improvement and smoking cessation within 2-years after baseline among 449 smokers was estimated in Cox proportional hazard models. Entropy balancing controlled for confounding. RESULTS On average, patients were 39.4 (SD=12.9) years of age, 86.6% were male and 71.5% were white. We observed clinically meaningful PTSD improvement in 19.8% of participants. Overall, 19.4% quit smoking in year 1 and 16.6% in year 2. More patients with vs. without clinically meaningful PTSD improvement stopped smoking (n=36, cumulative incidence=40.5% vs. 111, cumulative incidence=30.8%; respectively). After controlling for confounding, patients with vs. without clinically meaningful PTSD improvement were more likely to stop smoking within 2-years (HR=1.57; 95%CI:1.04-2.36). CONCLUSIONS Patients with clinically meaningful PTSD improvement were significantly more likely to stop smoking. Further research should determine if targeted interventions are needed or whether improvement in PTSD symptoms is sufficient to enable smoking cessation. IMPLICATIONS Patients with PTSD are more likely to develop chronic health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Poor health behaviors, including smoking, partly explain the risk for chronic disease in this patient population. Our results demonstrate that clinically meaningful PTSD improvement is followed by greater likelihood of smoking cessation. Thus, PTSD treatment may enable healthier behaviors and reduce risk for smoking related disease.
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Norrholm SD, Zalta A, Zoellner L, Powers A, Tull MT, Reist C, Schnurr PP, Weathers F, Friedman MJ. Does COVID-19 count?: Defining Criterion A trauma for diagnosing PTSD during a global crisis. Depress Anxiety 2021; 38:882-885. [PMID: 34469042 PMCID: PMC8652625 DOI: 10.1002/da.23209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a globally significant crisis with a rapid spread worldwide, high rates of illness and mortality, a high degree of uncertainty, and a disruption of daily life across the sociodemographic spectrum. The clinically relevant psychological consequences of this catastrophe will be long-lasting and far-reaching. There is an emerging body of empirical literature related to the mental health aspects of this pandemic and this body will likely expand exponentially. The COVID-19 pandemic is an example of a historic catastrophe from which we can learn much and from which the field will need to archive, interpret, and synthesize a multitude of clinical and research observations. METHODS In this commentary, we discuss situations and contexts in which a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may or may not apply within the context of diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) criteria. RESULTS Our consensus is that a COVID-related event cannot be considered traumatic unless key aspects of DSM-5's PTSD Criterion A have been established for a specific type of COVID-19 event (e.g., acute, life-threatening, and catastrophic). CONCLUSION The application of a more liberal interpretation of Criterion A will dilute the PTSD diagnosis, increase heterogeneity, confound case-control research, and create an overall sample pool with varying degrees of risk and vulnerability factors.
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