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Devin J, Lyons S, Murphy L, O’Sullivan M, Lynn E. Factors associated with suicide in people who use drugs: a scoping review. BMC Psychiatry 2023; 23:655. [PMID: 37670233 PMCID: PMC10478413 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-023-05131-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Suicide is a significant contributor to global mortality. People who use drugs (PWUD) are at increased risk of death by suicide relative to the general population, but there is a lack of information on associated candidate factors for suicide in this group. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive overview of existing evidence on potential factors for death by suicide in PWUD. METHODS A scoping review was conducted according to the Arksey and O'Malley framework. Articles were identified using Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SOCIndex, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Campbell Collaboration Database of Systematic Reviews; supplemented by grey literature, technical reports, and consultation with experts. No limitations were placed on study design. Publications in English from January 2000 to December 2021 were included. Two reviewers independently screened full-text publications for inclusion. Extracted data were collated using tables and accompanying narrative descriptive summaries. The review was reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. RESULTS The initial search identified 12,389 individual publications, of which 53 met the inclusion criteria. The majority (87%) of included publications were primary research, with an uncontrolled, retrospective study design. The most common data sources were drug treatment databases or national death indexes. Eleven potential factors associated with death by suicide among PWUD were identified: sex; mental health conditions; periods of heightened vulnerability; age profile; use of stimulants, cannabis, or new psychoactive substances; specific medical conditions; lack of dual diagnosis service provision; homelessness; incarceration; intravenous drug use; and race or ethnicity. Opioids, followed by cannabis and stimulant drugs were the most prevalent drugs of use in PWUD who died by suicide. A large proportion of evidence was related to opioid use; therefore, more primary research on suicide and explicit risk factors is required. CONCLUSIONS The majority of studies exploring factors associated with death by suicide among PWUD involved descriptive epidemiological data, with limited in-depth analyses of explicit risk factors. To prevent suicide in PWUD, it is important to consider potential risk factors and type of drug use, and to tailor policies and practices accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Devin
- Health Research Board, Grattan House, 67–72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 1st Floor Ardilaun House Block B, 111 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Suzi Lyons
- Health Research Board, Grattan House, 67–72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Lisa Murphy
- Health Research Board, Grattan House, 67–72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Michael O’Sullivan
- Health Research Board, Grattan House, 67–72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Ena Lynn
- Health Research Board, Grattan House, 67–72 Lower Mount Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Gottlieb DJ, Shiner B, Hoyt JE, Riblet NB, Peltzman T, Teja N, Watts BV. A comparison of mortality rates for buprenorphine versus methadone treatments for opioid use disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2023; 147:6-15. [PMID: 35837885 DOI: 10.1111/acps.13477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mortality from opioid use disorder (OUD) can be reduced for patients who receive opioid agonist treatment (OAT). In the United States (US), OATs have different requirements including nearly daily visits to a dispensing facility for methadone but weekly to monthly prescriptions for buprenorphine. Our objective was to compare mortality rates for buprenorphine and methadone treatments among a large sample of US patients with OUD. METHODS We measured all-cause mortality, overdose mortality, and suicide mortality among US Department of Veterans Affairs patients with a diagnosis of OUD who received OAT from 2010 through 2019. We leveraged substantial and sustained regional variation in prescribing buprenorphine versus methadone as an instrumental variable (IV) and used inverse propensity of treatment weighting to balance relevant covariates across treatment groups. We compared mortality with true two-stage IV using both probit and linear probability models, as well as a reduced form IV model, adjusting for demographics and health status. RESULTS Our cohort consisted of 61,997 patients with OUD who received OAT, of whom 92.7% were male with a mean age of 47.9 (SD = 14.1) years. Patients were followed for a median of 2 (IQR = 1,4) calendar years. Across regional terciles, mean methadone prescribing was 4.8%, 19.5%, and 75.1% of OAT patients. All models identified significant reductions in all-cause and suicide mortality for buprenorphine relative to methadone. For example, predicted all-cause mortality from the probit model was 169.7 per 10,000 person years (95% CI, 157.8, 179.6) in the lowest tercile of methadone prescribing compared with 206.1 (95% CI, 196.0, 216.3) in the highest tercile. No difference was identified for overdose mortality. CONCLUSION We found significantly lower all-cause mortality and suicide mortality rates for buprenorphine compared with methadone. Our results support the less restrictive prescribing practices for buprenorphine as OAT in the US.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Gottlieb
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
| | - Brian Shiner
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA.,Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Jessica E Hoyt
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
| | - Natalie B Riblet
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA.,Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Talya Peltzman
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA
| | - Nikhil Teja
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA.,Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Bradley V Watts
- Mental Health and Behavioral Science Service, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vermont, USA.,Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
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Marengo L, Douaihy A, Zhong Y, Krancevich K, Brummit B, Sakolsky D, Deal M, Zelazny J, Goodfriend E, Saul M, Murata S, Thoma B, Mansour H, Tew J, Ahmed N, Marsland A, Brent D, Melhem NM. Opioid use as a proximal risk factor for suicidal behavior in young adults. Suicide Life Threat Behav 2022; 52:199-213. [PMID: 34767271 PMCID: PMC10697688 DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is a concomitant rise in suicide rates with the prevalence of opioids involved in overdose deaths, especially among adolescents and young adults. However, there are limited studies on whether opioid use prospectively predicts suicidal behavior in youth. METHODS Our sample included 183 psychiatric patients (18-30 years) admitted for a suicide attempt (SA), have current suicidal ideation (SI), and psychiatric controls without ideation or attempt (PC). Suicidal behavior was assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. We also recruited a healthy control group (HC; n = 40). Patients and controls were followed over a year. ANOVA, regression, and cox regression were used. RESULTS Suicide attempt (β = 0.87, CI [0.1-1.6], p = 0.02) and SI [(β = 0.75, CI [0.03-1.5], p = 0.04) were significantly more likely than HCs to have used opioids in the past year at baseline. Opioid use was associated with increased anxiety symptoms (β = 0.75, CI [0.001-1.5], p = 0.05), PTSD symptoms (β = 3.90, CI [1.1-6.7], p = 0.01), and aggression (β = 0.02, CI [0.01-0.04], p = 0.02). Opioid use in the month prior to hospitalization predicted SA at 6 months (OR = 1.87, CI [1.06-3.31], p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS Opioid use is a proximal predictor for SA. These findings may help clinicians better identify patients at risk for suicidal behavior, allowing for more personalized treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Marengo
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Antoine Douaihy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Yongqi Zhong
- University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Katie Krancevich
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bradley Brummit
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Dara Sakolsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Meredith Deal
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jamie Zelazny
- University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eli Goodfriend
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Melissa Saul
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stephen Murata
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brian Thoma
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Hader Mansour
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jamie Tew
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nadeem Ahmed
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anna Marsland
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David Brent
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nadine M Melhem
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Watts BV, Gottlieb DJ, Riblet NB, Gui J, Shiner B. Association of Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder With Suicide Mortality. Am J Psychiatry 2022; 179:298-304. [PMID: 35360916 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21070700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Understanding the effectiveness of medication treatment for opioid use disorder to decrease the risk of suicide mortality may inform clinical and policy decisions. The authors sought to describe the effect of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) on risk of suicide mortality. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients from 2003 to 2017. The authors linked three data sources: the VA Corporate Data Warehouse, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Claims Data, and the VA-Department of Defense Mortality Data Repository. The exposure of interest was MOUD, including starting periods (first 14 days on treatment), stopping periods (first 14 days off treatment), stable time on treatment, and stable time off treatment (reference category). The main outcome measures included suicide mortality, external-cause mortality, and all-cause mortality in the 5 years following initiation of MOUD. RESULTS Over 60,000 VA patients received MOUD. Patients were typically male (92.8%) and their mean age was 46.5 years (SD=13.1). After adjusting for demographic characteristics, mental health and physical health conditions, and health care utilization, the adjusted hazard ratio during stable MOUD was 0.45 (95% CI=0.32, 0.63) for suicide mortality, 0.35 (95% CI=0.31, 0.40) for external-cause mortality, and 0.34 (95% CI=0.31, 0.37) for all-cause mortality. MOUD starting periods were associated with an adjusted hazard ratio for suicide mortality of 0.55 (95% CI=0.25, 1.21), and MOUD stopping periods were associated with an adjusted hazard ratio for suicide mortality of 1.38 (95% CI=0.82, 2.34). CONCLUSIONS Treatment with MOUD was associated with a substantial reduction in suicide mortality as well external causes of mortality and all-cause mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley V Watts
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. (Watts, Riblet, Shiner, Gui); White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vt. (all authors)
| | - Daniel J Gottlieb
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. (Watts, Riblet, Shiner, Gui); White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vt. (all authors)
| | - Natalie B Riblet
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. (Watts, Riblet, Shiner, Gui); White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vt. (all authors)
| | - Jiang Gui
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. (Watts, Riblet, Shiner, Gui); White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vt. (all authors)
| | - Brian Shiner
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H. (Watts, Riblet, Shiner, Gui); White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, Vt. (all authors)
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Shiner B, Gottlieb DJ, Levis M, Peltzman T, Riblet NB, Cornelius SL, Russ CJ, Watts BV. National cross-sectional cohort study of the relationship between quality of mental healthcare and death by suicide. BMJ Qual Saf 2021; 31:434-440. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2020-012944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BackgroundPatient safety-based interventions aimed at lethal means restriction are effective at reducing death by suicide in inpatient mental health settings but are more challenging in the outpatient arena. As an alternative approach, we examined the association between quality of mental healthcare and suicide in a national healthcare system.MethodsWe calculated regional suicide rates for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare users from 2013 to 2017. To control for underlying variation in suicide risk in each of our 115 mental health referral regions (MHRRs), we calculated standardised rate ratios (SRRs) for VA users compared with the general population. We calculated quality metrics for outpatient mental healthcare in each MHRR using individual metrics as well as an Overall Quality Index. We assessed the correlation between quality metrics and suicide rates.ResultsAmong the 115 VA MHRRs, the age-adjusted, sex-adjusted and race-adjusted annual suicide rates varied from 6.8 to 92.9 per 100 000 VA users, and the SRRs varied between 0.7 and 5.7. Mean regional-level adherence to each of our quality metrics ranged from a low of 7.7% for subspecialty care access to a high of 58.9% for care transitions. While there was substantial regional variation in quality, there was no correlation between an overall index of mental healthcare quality and SRR.ConclusionThere was no correlation between overall quality of outpatient mental healthcare and rates of suicide in a national healthcare system. Although it is possible that quality was not high enough anywhere to prevent suicide at the population level or that we were unable to adequately measure quality, this examination of core mental health services in a well-resourced system raises doubts that a quality-based approach alone can lower population-level suicide rates.
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Mahoney CT, Moshier SJ, Keane TM, Marx BP. Heightened healthcare utilization & risk of mental disorders among Veterans with comorbid opioid use disorder & posttraumatic stress disorder. Addict Behav 2021; 112:106572. [PMID: 32861102 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Although Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are vulnerable to opioid misuse, there is limited research evaluating the psychosocial and medical sequalae experienced by Veterans with comorbid PTSD and opioid use disorder (OUD). Using data from a nationwide, longitudinal registry of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Veterans oversampled for PTSD with a 1:1 ratio of men to women, we identified Veterans with lifetime diagnoses of comorbid PTSD and OUD (n = 40), PTSD and non-opioid substance use disorder (SUD; n = 386), PTSD only (n = 901), and non-opioid SUD only (n = 52) using medical record data. We then compared these groups on Veterans Affairs emergency, urgent care, and inpatient healthcare utilization, suicide risk, functional impairment, and the presence of comorbid mental conditions in the following 1-2 years. Relative to all other groups, Veterans with comorbid OUD and PTSD had increased likelihood of emergency room and inpatient care, probable somatoform and major depressive disorders, and greater functional impairment. Both the PTSD/OUD group and PTSD/non-opioid SUD group demonstrated increased suicidality, urgent care utilization, and probable generalized anxiety disorder relative to Veterans with PTSD only or non-opioid SUD only. Results suggest that comorbid OUD and PTSD are associated with greater likelihood of negative psychiatric and healthcare related outcomes, even relative to PTSD comorbid with other types of SUDs. Findings support the importance of concentrated and sustained efforts to improve prevention and intervention strategies for Veterans struggling with PTSD symptoms and opioid misuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin T Mahoney
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States; National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Terence M Keane
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States; National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Brian P Marx
- VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States; National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.
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Brown ES. Journal of Dual Diagnosis: Highlights from the 2020 Issues. J Dual Diagn 2021; 17:1-2. [PMID: 33399527 DOI: 10.1080/15504263.2021.1864137] [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: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E Sherwood Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
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