Differences in suicide and death ideation among veterans and nonveterans with serious mental illness

Suicide Prevention by Peers Offering Recovery Tactics (SUPPORT) for US Veterans With Serious Mental Illness: Community Engagement Approach

BACKGROUND

Peer specialists are hired, trained, and accredited to share their lived experience of psychiatric illness to support other similar individuals through the recovery process. There are limited data on the role of peer specialists in suicide prevention, including their role in intervention development.

OBJECTIVE

To better understand peer specialists within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we followed partnership community engagement and a formative research approach to intervention development to (1) identify barriers, facilitators, and perceptions of VHA peer specialists delivering a suicide prevention service and (2) develop and refine an intervention curriculum based on an evidence-informed preliminary intervention framework for veterans with serious mental illness (SMI).

METHODS

Following the community engagement approach, VHA local and national peer support and mental health leaders, veterans with SMI, and veteran peer specialists met to develop a preliminary intervention framework. Next, VHA peer specialist advisors (n=5) and scientific advisors (n=6) participated in respective advisory boards and met every 2-4 months for more than 18 months via videoconferencing to address study objectives. The process used was a reflexive thematic analysis after each advisory board meeting.

RESULTS

The themes discussed included (1) the desire for suicide prevention training for peer specialists, (2) determining the role of VHA peer specialists in suicide prevention, (3) integration of recovery themes in suicide prevention, and (4) difficulties using safety plans during a crisis. There were no discrepancies in thematic content between advisory boards. Advisor input led to the development of Suicide Prevention by Peers Offering Recovery Tactics (SUPPORT). SUPPORT includes training in general suicide prevention and a peer specialist-delivered intervention for veterans with SMI at an increased suicide risk. This training aims to increase the competence and confidence of peer specialists in suicide prevention and the intervention supports veterans with SMI at an increased suicide risk through their recovery process.

CONCLUSIONS

This paper intends to document the procedures taken in suicide prevention intervention development, specifically those led by peer specialists, and to be a source for future research developing and evaluating similar interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05537376; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05537376.

Examining sleep disturbance components as near-term predictors of suicide ideation in daily life

Suicide ideation emerges and fluctuates over short timeframes (minutes, hours, days); however, near-term predictors of such fluctuations have not been well-elucidated. Sleep disturbance is a distal suicide risk factor, but less work has examined whether daily sleep disturbance predicts near-term changes in suicide ideation. We examined subjective sleep disturbance components as predictors of passive and active suicide ideation at the within-person (i.e., day-to-day changes within individuals relative to their own mean) and between-persons (individual differences relative to the sample mean) levels. A transdiagnostic sample of 102 at-risk young adults ages 18-35 completed a 21-day ecological momentary assessment protocol, during which they reported on sleep and passive and active suicide ideation. At the within-persons level, nightmares, sleep quality, and wake after sleep onset predicted passive suicide ideation, and sleep quality and wake after sleep onset predicted active suicide ideation. At the between-persons level, nightmares, sleep onset latency, and sleep quality were associated with passive suicide ideation, and sleep onset latency was associated with active suicide ideation. In contrast, suicide ideation did not predict subsequent sleep at the within-person level. Specific sleep disturbance components are near-term predictors of intraindividual increases in suicide ideation and may hold promise for suicide prevention and intervention.

Functional impairment, internalized stigma, and well-being: Considerations for recovery-oriented suicide prevention for U.S. Veterans with serious mental illness

Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Centers (PRRCs) provide recovery-oriented care to Veterans with serious mental illness (SMI). As part of program evaluation, PRRC providers regularly assess recovery-oriented outcomes. Given the high rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among Veterans with SMI, understanding such outcomes in relation to suicide risk is crucial. Among Veterans entering a PRRC (N=4,731), the present study aimed to a) report suicidal ideation frequency in the past two weeks across demographics and psychiatric diagnoses, b) explore rates of current functional impairment, internalized stigma, and well-being, and c) examine differences in suicidal ideation frequency and functional impairment, internalized stigma, and well-being. Measurements before treatment were utilized. Younger (ρ=-.08, p<.001), married (z=-5.23, p<.001) Veterans, those not identifying as Black or African American (z=-4.80, p<.001), not diagnosed with schizophrenia (z=-6.97, <.001), diagnosed with depressive disorders (z=-8.79, <.001), anxiety disorders (z=-5.01, <.001), posttraumatic stress disorder (z=-7.69, <.001), or personality disorders (z=-7.12, <.001) were significantly more likely to endorse suicidal ideation. Veterans in this cohort had higher than average functional impairment (M=18.05, SD=9.85), mild internalized stigma (M=2.36, SD=0.51), and lower than average well-being (M=18.96, SD=3.93). The more often a Veteran reported thinking about suicide in the past two weeks, the more likely the Veteran viewed themselves to be more functionally impaired (p<.001), reported higher levels of internalized stigma (p<.001), and reported lower levels of well-being (p<.001). Findings and limitations, particularly the suicidal ideation frequency measurement, are discussed to contextualize suggestions to integrate recovery-oriented practices and suicide prevention care.

Crisis service utilization following completion of a suicide safety plan for Veterans with and without affective and nonaffective psychosis

OBJECTIVE

Psychosis is associated with increased suicide risk. Safety planning is a suicide prevention practice that is associated with decreased suicidal behavior and psychiatric hospitalizations. A common feature of safety planning is listing of crisis line numbers. The primary purpose of this study was to compare Veterans with and without psychosis who completed a safety plan in terms of their next year crisis service use, including Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) calls, and suicidal behavior.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the VA San Diego's electronic medical record system for (N = 1602) safety plans from 2018 to 2021. Clinical records of crisis services and suicide attempt/death were recorded for one year after the safety plan.

RESULTS

Following completion of a safety plan, Veterans with psychosis were more likely to have a next year psychiatric hospitalization (OR = 4.1), emergency department visit (OR = 2.3), and psychiatric emergency clinic visit (OR = 2.2) than those without psychosis. In contrast, there were no group differences in likelihood of calling the VCL.

CONCLUSIONS

Veterans with psychosis who recently completed a safety plan do not show elevated rates of VCL use that are commensurate with increases in crisis service use. Interventions for this high-risk group may focus on understanding the motivation and ability to call the VCL as ways to enhance safety planning.

Correlates of suicide risk among Black and White adults with behavioral health disorders in criminal-legal systems

BACKGROUND

Adults with behavioral health disorders in criminal-legal systems are at heightened risk of suicide relative to the general population. Despite documented racial disparities in criminal processing and behavioral health treatment, few studies have examined racial differences in suicide risk in this already high-risk population. This study examined 1) the correlates of suicide risk in this population overall and by race and 2) the moderating role of race in these associations.

METHODS

We investigated correlates of clinician-rated suicide risk at baseline in a statewide sample of 2,827 Black and 14,022 White adults with criminal-legal involvement who engaged in community-based behavioral health treatment. Regression-based approaches were used to model suicide risk and test for evidence of interaction effects.

RESULTS

Findings showed the strongest correlates of suicide risk were greater behavioral health needs, evidence of self-harm, and a primary mental health diagnosis or co-occurring diagnosis. In race-specific analyses, correlates of suicide risk were mostly similar for both Black and White clients, with a couple exceptions. Interaction terms testing between-group effects on correlates of suicide risk were non-significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults with behavioral health disorders in criminal-legal systems experience similar risk factors for suicide as the general population. Similar to prior research, we found that Black adults, in particular, are at lower risk for suicide overall. Contrary to expectations, we found similarities in correlates of suicide risk across race in our sample of felony-level adults with behavioral health disorders in the criminal-legal system. Prior research shows that behavioral health professionals should be cognizant of cultural factors when developing a comprehensive approach to suicide care and treatment. Our findings show correlates of suicide risk are largely stable in Black and White adults involved in criminal-legal systems, suggesting culturally responsive treatment for suicide risk should target shared risk factors.

Perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation among individuals with first-episode psychosis

Individuals with first-episode psychosis (FEP) are at elevated risk for suicide. The current study explored the applicability of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS) as a model for understanding suicide in FEP. Thirty-nine individuals with FEP completed measures of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, acquired capability for suicide, and suicidal ideation. Results indicate that participants with recent suicidal ideation have greater levels of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness than those without recent suicidal ideation. In contrast, the interaction of IPTS variables did not predict the severity of suicidal ideation across the entire sample. These findings suggest that burdensomeness and belongingness differentiate between individuals with and without suicidal ideation, although these constructs might be less useful in predicting the severity of suicidal ideation among individuals with psychosis. Further research is needed to understand both transdiagnostic and unique risk factors that contribute to the high rates of suicide in this population.

Internalized stigma, sense of belonging, and suicidal ideation among veterans with serious mental illness

OBJECTIVE

There is emerging evidence that internalized stigma increases risk for suicide among individuals with serious mental illness. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether sense of belonging moderates the relationship between internalized stigma and suicidal ideation.

METHOD

Two hundred forty-two veterans with serious mental illness completed measures of internalized stigma, belongingness, and depression. Moderation analysis was used to determine whether sense of belonging interacts with internalized stigma to predict suicidal ideation when accounting for individual differences in depression and relevant demographic variables.

RESULTS

Consistent with our hypothesis, sense of belonging significantly moderated the relationship between internalized stigma and suicidal ideation. Specifically, the relationship between internalized stigma and suicidal ideation was strongest when sense of belonging was low.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Internalized stigma and belongingness interact to increase risk for suicide. Both constructs should be assessed and included in interventions to reduce suicide risk among veterans with serious mental illness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Suicidal ideation, behavior, and mortality in male and female US veterans with severe mental illness

BACKGROUND

We compared male and female American veterans with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder regarding clinical characteristics associated with lifetime suicidal ideation and behavior. Subsequent mortality, including death by suicide, was also assessed.

METHODS

Data from questionnaires and face-to-face evaluations were collected during 2011-2014 from 8,049 male and 1,290 female veterans with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In addition to comparing male-female characteristics, Cox regression models-adjusted for demographic information, medical-psychiatric comorbidities, and self-reported suicidal ideation and behavior-were used to examine gender differences in associations of putative risk factors with suicide-specific and all-cause mortality during up to six years of follow-up.

RESULTS

Women overall were younger, more likely to report a history of suicidal behavior, less likely to be substance abusers, and had lower overall mortality during follow-up. Among women only, psychiatric comorbidity was paradoxically associated with lower all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR]=0.53, 95% CI, 0.29-0.96, p = 0.037 for 1 disorder vs. none; HR=0.44, 95% CI, 0.25-0.77, p = 0.004 for ≥2 disorders vs. none). Suicide-specific mortality involved relatively few events, but crude rates were an order of magnitude higher than in the U.S. general and overall veteran populations.

LIMITATIONS

Incomplete cause-of-death information and low statistical power for male-female comparisons regarding mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Female veterans with SMI differed from females in the general population by having a higher risk of suicide attempts. They also had more lifetime suicide attempts than male veterans with same diagnoses. These differences should inform public policy and clinical planning.

RD, Poindexter EK. Thwarted Interpersonal Needs and Suicide Ideation Distress Among Psychiatric Inpatients: The Moderating Role of Criminal Associates

Psychiatric inpatients are at elevated risk of suicide, and approximately half are criminal justice-involved. Their involvement with criminal associates may be linked to increased suicide ideation distress; however, this has not been examined. This study tested main effects of, and interactions between, thwarted belongingness (TB) or perceived burdensomeness (PB), time spent with associates, and associates' criminal involvement predicting suicide ideation distress. In our study, psychiatric inpatients (n = 139) completed assessments cross-sectionally. Results indicated that TB, PB, and associates' criminal involvement were significantly related to greater suicide ideation distress. A significant three-way interaction indicated participants who endorsed high TB, spent more time with associates, and had associates high in criminal involvement had the greatest probability of "Extreme" suicide ideation distress. These findings suggest that spending time with criminal associates may increase suicide ideation distress more than not having social interactions. Implications and limitations of this study are discussed.