Impact of Implementation Facilitation on the REACH VET Clinical Program for Veterans at Risk for Suicide

OBJECTIVE

In 2017, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented a national suicide prevention program, called Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment (REACH VET), that uses a predictive algorithm to identify, attempt to reach, assess, and care for patients at the highest risk for suicide. The authors aimed to evaluate whether facilitation enhanced implementation of REACH VET at VHA facilities not meeting target completion rates.

METHODS

In this hybrid effectiveness-implementation type 2 program evaluation, a quasi-experimental pre-post design was used to assess changes in implementation outcome measures evaluated 6 months before and 6 months after onset of facilitation of REACH VET implementation at 23 VHA facilities. Measures included percentages of patients with documented coordinator and provider acknowledgment of receipt, care evaluation, and outreach attempt. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare differences in REACH VET outcome measures before and after facilitation. Qualitative interviews were conducted with personnel and were explored via template analysis.

RESULTS

Time had a significant effect in all outcomes models (p<0.001). An effect of facilitation was significant only for the outcome of attempted outreach. Patients identified by REACH VET had significantly higher odds of having a documented outreach attempt after facilitation of REACH VET implementation, compared with before facilitation. Site personnel felt supported and reported that the external facilitators were helpful and responsive.

CONCLUSIONS

Facilitation of REACH VET implementation was associated with an improvement in outreach attempts to veterans identified as being at increased risk for suicide. Outreach is critical for engaging veterans in care.

Estimating the per-protocol effect of lithium on suicidality in a randomized trial of individuals with depression or bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

The CSP590 randomized trial was designed to estimate the effect of lithium on suicidality. After a third of the intended number of participants were enrolled, the hazard ratio of suicidality was 1.10 (95% CI: 0.77, 1.55). Based on this, the trial was stopped for futility. However, only 17% of patients adhered to the specified protocol.

AIMS

The objective was to estimate the per-protocol effect of lithium on suicidality, that is, the effect of adhering to the treatment strategies as specified in the protocol.

METHODS

We stopped individuals' follow-up if/when they showed evidence of nonadherence. We then conducted the analysis in the restricted sample, adjusting for prognostic factors that predict adherence via inverse probability weighting. The primary outcome was the 12-month risk of suicidality (including death from suicide, suicide attempt, interrupted attempt, hospitalization specifically to prevent suicide).

RESULTS

The estimated 12-month risk of suicidality was 18.8% for lithium, and 24.3% for placebo. The risk ratio was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.43, 1.37) and the risk difference -5.5 percentage points (95% CI: -17.5, 5.5). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

With one-third of the targeted sample size, lithium effects (compared with placebo) ranging between a 17.5% reduction and a 5.5% increase in the risk of suicidality were highly compatible with the data. Thus, a protective effect of lithium on suicidality among patients with bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder cannot be ruled out. Trials should incorporate adequate per-protocol analyses into the decision-making processes for stopping trials for futility.

Outcomes for treatment of depression in the Veterans Health Administration: Rates of response and remission calculated from clinical and survey data

Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) quality measures for depression treatment aggregate Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 data from routine clinical assessments recorded in electronic health records (EHR). To determine whether aggregated PHQ-9 data in US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) EHRs should be used to characterize the organization's performance, we compared rates for depression response and remission calculated from EHRs with rates calculated with data representing the underlying Veteran patient population estimated using Veterans Outcome Assessment (VOA) survey data. We analyzed data from initial assessments and 3-month follow-up for Veterans beginning treatment for depression. EHR data were available for only a minority of Veteran patients, and the group of Veterans with EHR data differed from the underlying Veteran patient population with respect to demographic and clinical characteristics. Aggregated rates of response and remission from EHR data were significantly different from estimates based on representative VOA data. The findings suggest that until patient-reported outcome from EHRs are available for a substantial majority of patients receiving care, aggregated measures of patient outcomes derived from these data cannot be assumed to be representative of the outcomes for the overall population, and they should not be used as outcome-based measures of quality or performance.

The Veterans Health Administration REACH VET Program: Suicide Predictive Modeling in Practice

The U.S. Veterans Health Administration developed a suicide prediction statistical model and implemented a novel clinical program, Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment (REACH VET). This high-value suicide prevention program aims to efficiently identify patients at risk and connect them with care. Starting in April 2017, national REACH VET metric data were collected from electronic health records to evaluate required task completion. By October 2020, 98% of veterans identified (N=6,579) were contacted by providers and had their care evaluated. In the nation's largest health care system, it was feasible to implement a clinical program based on a suicide prediction model.

Identification of Novel, Replicable Genetic Risk Loci for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among US Military Veterans

Importance

Suicide is a leading cause of death; however, the molecular genetic basis of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (SITB) remains unknown.

Objective

To identify novel, replicable genomic risk loci for SITB.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This genome-wide association study included 633 778 US military veterans with and without SITB, as identified through electronic health records. GWAS was performed separately by ancestry, controlling for sex, age, and genetic substructure. Cross-ancestry risk loci were identified through meta-analysis. Study enrollment began in 2011 and is ongoing. Data were analyzed from November 2021 to August 2022.

Main Outcome and Measures

SITB.

Results

A total of 633 778 US military veterans were included in the analysis (57 152 [9%] female; 121 118 [19.1%] African ancestry, 8285 [1.3%] Asian ancestry, 452 767 [71.4%] European ancestry, and 51 608 [8.1%] Hispanic ancestry), including 121 211 individuals with SITB (19.1%). Meta-analysis identified more than 200 GWS (P < 5 × 10-8) cross-ancestry risk single-nucleotide variants for SITB concentrated in 7 regions on chromosomes 2, 6, 9, 11, 14, 16, and 18. Top single-nucleotide variants were largely intronic in nature; 5 were independently replicated in ISGC, including rs6557168 in ESR1, rs12808482 in DRD2, rs77641763 in EXD3, rs10671545 in DCC, and rs36006172 in TRAF3. Associations for FBXL19 and AC018880.2 were not replicated. Gene-based analyses implicated 24 additional GWS cross-ancestry risk genes, including FURIN, TSNARE1, and the NCAM1-TTC12-ANKK1-DRD2 gene cluster. Cross-ancestry enrichment analyses revealed significant enrichment for expression in brain and pituitary tissue, synapse and ubiquitination processes, amphetamine addiction, parathyroid hormone synthesis, axon guidance, and dopaminergic pathways. Seven other unique European ancestry-specific GWS loci were identified, 2 of which (POM121L2 and METTL15/LINC02758) were replicated. Two additional GWS ancestry-specific loci were identified within the African ancestry (PET112/GATB) and Hispanic ancestry (intergenic locus on chromosome 4) subsets, both of which were replicated. No GWS loci were identified within the Asian ancestry subset; however, significant enrichment was observed for axon guidance, cyclic adenosine monophosphate signaling, focal adhesion, glutamatergic synapse, and oxytocin signaling pathways across all ancestries. Within the European ancestry subset, genetic correlations (r > 0.75) were observed between the SITB phenotype and a suicide attempt-only phenotype, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Additionally, polygenic risk score analyses revealed that the Million Veteran Program polygenic risk score had nominally significant main effects in 2 independent samples of veterans of European and African ancestry.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this analysis may advance understanding of the molecular genetic basis of SITB and provide evidence for ESR1, DRD2, TRAF3, and DCC as cross-ancestry candidate risk genes. More work is needed to replicate these findings and to determine if and how these genes might impact clinical care.

Progress toward a performance measure for mental health based on a generic patient- reported outcome measure: Findings from the Veterans Outcome Assessment survey

We report on studies conducted to develop outcome-based performance measures (PROM-PMs) based on generic patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) that could support strategies for quality improvement applicable to all patients in a mental health system. Data were from the Veterans Outcome Assessment Survey at baseline and three months for the Mental Component Score (MCS-12), a widely used measure of mental health-related quality of life, for 15,540 outpatients beginning treatment in General Mental Health clinics in 140 Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. Mental health diagnoses from medical records were coded using hierarchical categories. Mental health staffing levels and quality measures were from administrative data. Changes in MCS-12 scores were associated with demographics, baseline scores, and diagnostic categories; in fully adjusted models, differences between facilities accounted for only 0.5% of the total variance between patients. There were small but significant associations of both baseline and changes in MCS-12 scores with staffing levels and administrative measures of the quality of care that support the potential value of adjusted measures of changes in MCS-12 as a PROM-PM. Remaining issues include the low proportion of variability that can be attributed to differences between facilities and the associations of staffing and quality with possible case-mix adjustment variables.

Suicide risk following a new cancer diagnosis among Veterans in Veterans Health Administration care

BACKGROUND

Cancer diagnoses are associated with an increased risk for suicide. The aim of this study was to evaluate this association among Veterans receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care, a population that has an especially high suicide risk.

METHODS

Among 4,926,373 Veterans with VHA use in 2011 and in 2012 or 2013, and without VHA cancer diagnoses in 2011, we assessed suicide risk following incident cancer diagnoses. Risk time was from initial VHA use in 2012-2013 to 12/31/2018 or death, whichever came first. Cox proportional hazards regression models evaluated associations between new cancer diagnoses and suicide risk, adjusting for age, sex, VHA regional network, and mental health comorbidities. Suicide rates were calculated among Veterans with new cancer diagnoses through 84 months following diagnosis.

RESULTS

A new cancer diagnosis corresponded to a 47% higher suicide risk (Adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR] = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.33-1.63). The cancer subtype associated with the highest suicide risk was esophageal cancer (aHR = 6.01, 95% CI: 3.73-9.68), and other significant subtypes included head and neck (aHR = 3.55, 95% CI: 2.74-4.62) and lung cancer (aHR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.85-3.00). Cancer stages 3 (aHR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.80-3.11) and 4 (aHR = 3.53, 95% CI: 2.81-4.43) at diagnosis were positively associated with suicide risk. Suicide rates were highest within 3 months following diagnosis and remained elevated in the 3-6- and 6-12-month periods following diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Among Veteran VHA users, suicide risk was elevated following new cancer diagnoses. Risk was particularly high in the first 3 months. Additional screening and suicide prevention efforts may be warranted for VHA Veterans newly diagnosed with cancer.

Risk for PTSD symptom worsening during new PTSD treatment episode in a nationally representative sample of treatment-seeking U.S. veterans with subthreshold PTSD

Previous research has examined risk factors associated with poorer treatment outcomes for military Veterans with PTSD. However, work has not examined risk for symptom worsening among Veterans with subthreshold PTSD. The aim of this study was to examine demographic, psychiatric, physical health, and pre-treatment PTSD symptom clusters associated with clinically significant worsening of PTSD among a nationally representative sample of United States (U.S.) Veterans with subthreshold PTSD. Participants were Veterans (weighted N = 3162; unweighted N = 236) with subthreshold PTSD entering a new episode of treatment at U.S. Veterans Affairs PTSD specialty clinics during fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Data was collected as part of the Veterans Outcome Assessment, a yearly baseline and 3-month follow-up telephone survey. Analyses used weighted calculations to support the use of VOA data to draw inferences about all eligible Veterans, and binary logistic regression was used to examine risk factors for symptom worsening. Over 1/3 (37.7%) of Veterans with subthreshold PTSD experienced clinically significant symptom worsening from baseline to follow-up. Adjusted analyses revealed several risk factors for symptom worsening, including demographic (e.g., male sex, White race), psychiatric (personality and anxiety disorders), health care utilization (e.g., more primary care encounters in the previous year), physical health disability, and specific baseline PTSD symptom clusters (negative affect and anxious arousal). Findings suggest that Veterans with subthreshold symptoms seeking treatment for PTSD are at risk for symptom worsening, and highlight the importance of assessment, prevention, and treatment in targeting veterans with PTSD symptoms below the diagnostic threshold.

Comparative risks of all-cause mortality for Veterans with schizophrenia with ongoing receipt of clozapine and other antipsychotic medications

To guide care for patients with schizophrenia, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) evaluated the associations between current or recent use of clozapine and all-cause mortality and explored associations for other antipsychotic medications. Using a case-control design, patients with schizophrenia who died in fiscal years 2014-2018 were matched on age, sex, race, and VHA facility to up to 10 controls who were alive on the case's date of death (index date). Medication coverage during the 91 days before the index date was classified as none, partial (1-44 days), and consistent (45-91 days). Medication coverage patterns during the index period were compared to coverage patterns during the period of 92-182 days prior to index date with each medication coverage classified as no change, no coverage, increased, or decreased. Conditional logistic regression analyses controlling for patient characteristics identified no associations of consistent or increasing clozapine coverage with mortality; partial and decreasing coverage were associated with greater mortality and these effects did not differ from those of other the medications considered. Exploratory analyses considering non-clozapine antipsychotic agents suggest that consistent coverage by olanzapine may be associated with increased mortality, that mortality associated with olanzapine may be greater than aripiprazole, and that this effect can be attributed primarily to patients with diabetes. Further study of this topic is needed.

Interpreting patient reports of perceived change during treatment for depression: Findings from the Veterans Outcome Assessment survey

This study addressed ongoing questions about the meaning of patients' perceptions of change during treatment. The study used data from the Veterans Outcome Assessment survey for patients with a depressive disorder, without mental health comorbidities, treated in Department of Veterans Affairs general mental health clinics (n = 694). Perceived changes in problems/symptoms, other domains, and the quality of communication with providers were evaluated with items from the Experience of Care & Health Outcomes (ECHO) survey. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Linear regression models evaluated associations of perceived change at 3-months post-baseline with observed change in PHQ-9 scores, scores on other patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and ratings of communication with providers. Patients' reports of their clinical condition at follow-up together with ratings of communication accounted for approximately one-third of the variance in patients' perceptions of change. Adding change-scores based on baseline and follow-up scores on the PHQ-9 and other PROMs did not improve model fit. The findings suggest that patient reports of perceived change during treatment reflect their current clinical state and their experience of care more closely than actual changes in the PHQ-9 or other PROMs.

Lithium Treatment in the Prevention of Repeat Suicide-Related Outcomes in Veterans With Major Depression or Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Suicide and suicide attempts are persistent and increasing public health problems. Observational studies and meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials have suggested that lithium may prevent suicide in patients with bipolar disorder or depression.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether lithium augmentation of usual care reduces the rate of repeated episodes of suicide-related events (repeated suicide attempts, interrupted attempts, hospitalizations to prevent suicide, and deaths from suicide) in participants with bipolar disorder or depression who have survived a recent event.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial assessed lithium vs placebo augmentation of usual care in veterans with bipolar disorder or depression who had survived a recent suicide-related event. Veterans at 29 VA medical centers who had an episode of suicidal behavior or an inpatient admission to prevent suicide within 6 months were screened between July 1, 2015, and March 31, 2019.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants were randomized to receive extended-release lithium carbonate beginning at 600 mg/d or placebo.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Time to the first repeated suicide-related event, including suicide attempts, interrupted attempts, hospitalizations specifically to prevent suicide, and deaths from suicide.

RESULTS

The trial was stopped for futility after 519 veterans (mean [SD] age, 42.8 [12.4] years; 437 [84.2%] male) were randomized: 255 to lithium and 264 to placebo. Mean lithium concentrations at 3 months were 0.54 mEq/L for patients with bipolar disorder and 0.46 mEq/L for patients with major depressive disorder. No overall difference in repeated suicide-related events between treatments was found (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.77-1.55). No unanticipated safety concerns were observed. A total of 127 participants (24.5%) had suicide-related outcomes: 65 in the lithium group and 62 in the placebo group. One death occurred in the lithium group and 3 in the placebo group.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this randomized clinical trial, the addition of lithium to usual Veterans Affairs mental health care did not reduce the incidence of suicide-related events in veterans with major depression or bipolar disorders who experienced a recent suicide event. Therefore, simply adding lithium to existing medication regimens is unlikely to be effective for preventing a broad range of suicide-related events in patients who are actively being treated for mood disorders and substantial comorbidities.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01928446.

Suicide among Veterans receiving Veterans Health Administration Home Based Primary Care and following discharge from Community Living Centers

INTRODUCTION

Veterans who receive Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) services and those discharged from VHA Community Living Centers (CLC) may be at increased risk of suicide. No studies to date have assessed suicide risks among HBPC patients. This study examined suicide risks among recipients of VHA HBPC services and following discharge from VHA CLCs, as compared to other Veteran VHA users.

METHODS

We identified three cohorts of 2013 Veteran VHA patients: 47,842 HBPC users, 17,725 with live discharges from CLCs, and 5,554,635 other VHA users. Using proportional hazards regression, we assessed risk of suicide through 2016.

RESULTS

Overall, HBPC recipients did not differ from the other cohorts in suicide risk. Although in unadjusted analyses CLC discharged patients had greater suicide risk than the general VHA patient cohort (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.73, 95% confidence interval = 1.25-2.41), this became nonsignificant when controlling for diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall findings did not identify differential suicide risk among VHA HBPC recipients in 2013, when compared to other Veteran VHA patient cohorts. Veterans discharged from VHA CLCs have increased mental health morbidity, which was associated with increased suicide risk.

Evaluation of the Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment Suicide Risk Modeling Clinical Program in the Veterans Health Administration

IMPORTANCE

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented a national clinical program using a suicide risk prediction algorithm, Recovery Engagement and Coordination for Health-Veterans Enhanced Treatment (REACH VET), in which clinicians facilitate care enhancements for individuals identified in local top 0.1% suicide risk tiers. Evaluation studies are needed.

OBJECTIVE

To determine associations with treatment engagement, health care utilization, suicide attempts, safety plan documentation, and 6-month mortality.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study used triple differences analyses comparing 6-month changes in outcomes after vs before program entry for individuals entering the REACH VET program (March 2017-December 2018) vs a similarly identified top 0.1% suicide risk tier cohort from prior to program initiation (March 2014-December 2015), adjusting for trends across subthreshold cohorts. Subcohort analyses (including individuals from March 2017-June 2018) evaluated difference-in-differences for cause-specific mortality using death certificate data. The subthreshold cohorts included individuals in the top 0.3% to 0.1% suicide risk tier, below the threshold for REACH VET eligibility, from the concurrent REACH VET period and from the pre-REACH VET period. Data were analyzed from December 2019 through September 2021.

EXPOSURES

REACH VET-designated clinicians treatment reevaluation and outreach for care enhancements, including safety planning, increased monitoring, and interventions to enhance coping.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Process outcomes included VHA scheduled, completed, and missed appointments; mental health visits; and safety plan documentation and documentation within 6 months for individuals without plans within the prior 2 years. Clinical outcomes included mental health admissions, emergency department visits, nonfatal suicide attempts, and all-cause, suicide, and nonsuicide external-cause mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 173 313 individuals (mean [SD] age, 51.0 [14.7] years; 161 264 [93.1%] men and 12 049 [7.0%] women) were included in analyses, including 40 816 individuals eligible for REACH VET care and 36 604 individuals from the pre-REACH VET period in the top 0.1% of suicide risk. The REACH VET intervention was associated with significant increases in completed outpatient appointments (adjusted triple difference [ATD], 0.31; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.55) and proportion of individuals with new safety plans (ATD, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.06 to 0.10) and reductions in mental health admissions (ATD, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.10 to -0.05), emergency department visits (ADT, -0.03; 95% CI, -0.06 to -0.01), and suicide attempts (ADT, -0.05; 95% CI, -0.06 to -0.03). Subcohort analyses did not identify differences in suicide or all-cause mortality (eg, age-and-sex-adjusted difference-in-difference for suicide mortality, 0.0007; 95% CI, -0.0006 to 0.0019).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that REACH VET implementation was associated with greater treatment engagement and new safety plan documentation and fewer mental health admissions, emergency department visits, and suicide attempts. Clinical programs using risk modeling may be effective tools to support care enhancements and risk reduction.

Suicide mortality and related behavior following calls to the Veterans Crisis Line by Veterans Health Administration patients

OBJECTIVES

To assess outcomes for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients following calls to the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL).

METHODS

158,927 VHA patients had an initial VCL call in 2010-2015 with documented identifiers. Multivariable proportional hazards regressions assessed risks of suicide and suicide-related behavior through 12 months. Covariates included age, sex, region, mental health encounters in the prior year, time of day, weekday/weekend status, call outcome, and responder determination of caller risk.

RESULTS

Annualized suicide rates per 100,000 within 1, 3, 6, and 12 months were 797, 520, 387, and 298, respectively. Average age was 49.9 (SD = 15.2), 86.5% were male, 68.6% received mental health encounters in the prior year, and 5.9% had calls categorized as at high risk. Adjusting for covariates, suicide risk was greater among male callers and those with calls categorized as at high or moderate risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Veterans Crisis Line serves a high-risk population at a critical time. Rates were particularly high within one month and remained substantially elevated through 12 months. Findings have directly informed ongoing efforts to enhance coordination between VCL and VHA to support suicide prevention.

Associations between patient experience and clinical outcomes in substance use disorder clinics: Findings from the veterans outcomes assessment survey

BACKGROUND

Patient-centeredness is a cornerstone of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Patient-experience measures are potential tools for the routine assessment of patient-centered SUD care and may be valuable measures to inform quality monitoring improvement efforts. Little research exists on the predictive validity of patient-experience measures in SUD care.

PURPOSE

We report on findings from the Veterans Outcome Assessment (VOA) survey that provides information on Veterans Health Administration SUD specialty care at treatment initiation and approximately 3-months post-initiation.

METHODS

The VOA includes patient-reported outcomes across multiple domains, including the Brief Addiction Monitor (BAM-R), the Short-Form-12 (SF-12) and the Experience of Care and Health Outcome Survey (ECHO), and provides patient reports of the quality of provider communication and overall quality of SUD care.

RESULTS

Nearly 40% of veterans in SUD care gave the highest possible ratings for communication and quality at both baseline and follow-up. Ratings of communication at 3-months were associated with treatment discontinuation and both ratings of communication and quality at 3-months and were independently associated with SUD symptoms and with mental well-being at 3-months.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides preliminary support for the inclusion of patient experience measures, particularly ratings of provider communication, as part of routine assessment in SUD care. However, further work on the validity of ratings of provider communication using additional methodologies is likely important before piloting the inclusion of such measures in routine assessment, such as in measurement base care.

Facility-Level Excess Mortality of VHA Patients With Mental Health or Substance Use Disorder Diagnoses

OBJECTIVE

Individuals with mental or substance use disorders have higher mortality rates than people in the general population. How excess mortality varies across health care facilities is unknown. The authors sought to investigate facility-level mortality rates among Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients who had received diagnoses of mental or substance use disorders.

METHODS

An electronic medical records-based retrospective cohort study was conducted, encompassing 8,812,373 unique users of 139 VHA facilities from 2011 to 2016. Covariates included age, sex, and past-year diagnoses of serious mental illness, posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, other mental health conditions, or substance use disorders. The outcome was all-cause mortality per comprehensive Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense searches of the National Death Index. Proportional hazards regression was used to calculate overall and facility-specific hazard ratios (HRs) for each diagnosis group, adjusted for age, sex, and comorbid medical conditions.

RESULTS

Overall, all-cause mortality was statistically significantly elevated among VHA users with mental health diagnoses (HR=1.21, 95% confidence interval=1.20-1.22). HRs varied across facilities consistently over time. At the VHA facility level, diagnostic groups were significantly correlated with the degree of excess mortality. Results were similar in sensitivity analyses that excluded deaths from suicide or drug or alcohol overdose.

CONCLUSIONS

VHA users with mental or substance use disorder diagnoses had elevated mortality rates. Correlation in excess mortality across two periods indicated that facility differences in excess mortality were persistent and therefore potentially associated with facility- and community-level factors, which may help inform quality improvement efforts to reduce mortality rates.

Associations between patient experience and clinical outcomes in general mental health clinics: Findings from the veterans outcomes assessment survey

For mental health, evidence linking the patients' experiences of care with treatment outcomes is limited. We report findings from the Veterans Outcome Assessment (VOA) survey of Veterans beginning treatment in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health programs with follow-up after approximately 3 months. In addition to assessments of symptoms and functioning, it includes key components of the Experience of Care and Health Outcomes (ECHO) survey including patient reports of communication with clinicians and of the overall quality of mental health care. For Veterans treated in VHA general mental health clinics, significant associations between ratings of communication and quality at baseline, and both retention in treatment and patient-reported outcomes assessed at follow-up demonstrate that better patient experience predicts more favorable outcomes. Further research is necessary to determine whether including them in measurement-based care could improve outcomes by facilitating the early identification of problems in providing care.

Hypertension Treatment Modality and Suicide Risk Among Veterans in Veterans Health Administration Care From 2015 to 2017

IMPORTANCE

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) serves a population of veterans with a high prevalence of comorbid health conditions and increased risk for suicide.

OBJECTIVE

To replicate the findings of a previous study and assess whether exposure to angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) is associated with differential suicide risk compared with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) among veterans receiving VHA care.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This nested case-control design included all suicide decedents from 2015 to 2017 with a VHA inpatient or outpatient encounter in the prior year and with either an active ACEI or ARB prescription in the 100 days prior to death. Using a 4:1 ratio, controls were matched to cases by age, sex, and hypertension and diabetes diagnoses. Controls were alive at the time of the death of the matched case, had a VHA encounter within the previous year, and had either an active ACEI or ARB medication fill within 100 days before the death of the matched case.

EXPOSURES

An active ACEI or ARB prescription within 100 days before the death of the case.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Cases were suicide decedents from 2015 to 2017 per National Death Index search results included in the Veteran Affairs/Department of Defense Mortality Data Repository.

RESULTS

Among 1309 cases, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 68 (60-76) years and among 5217 controls, the median (IQR) age was 67 (60-76) years, and 1.9% of veterans in both groups were female. ARBs were received by 20.2% of controls and 19.6% of cases; ACEIs were received by 79.8% of controls and 80.4% of cases. The crude suicide odds ratio for ARBs vs ACEIs was 0.966 (95% CI, 0.828-1.127). Controlling for covariates, the adjusted odds ratio for ARBs was 0.985 (95% CI, 0.834-1.164). Sensitivity analyses using only those covariates that differed significantly between groups, restricting to veterans ages 65 and older, dropping matching criteria, and adjusting for the quantity and temporal proximity of ACEI and ARB exposure in the 100 days prior to the index date, had consistent findings.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This case-control study did not identify differences in suicide risk by receipt of ARBs vs ACEIs in analyses specific to veterans receiving VHA care in contrast with findings from the referent study.

Increased Risk of Dementia Among Veterans With Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia Receiving Care in the VA Health System

OBJECTIVE

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides a continuum of care over the life course. Among U.S. adults, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are associated with increased risk of dementia. To inform service planning, this study assessed the incidence of dementia among veteran VHA patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, with adjustment for comorbid medical conditions.

METHODS

Using data from the VHA Corporate Data Warehouse, the authors identified all veterans who received VHA care in 2004 and 2005 without a dementia diagnosis and who were alive and between ages 18 and 100 as of January 1, 2006. Individuals were categorized as having bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or neither condition on the basis of diagnoses in 2004-2005. Among ongoing VHA users, incidence of dementia was assessed for up to 10 years (2006-2015).

RESULTS

The cohort included 3,648,852 individuals. After analyses controlled for baseline comorbid general medical conditions and substance use disorders, the incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for dementia were 2.92 for those with schizophrenia and 2.26 for those with bipolar disorder, compared with VHA patients with neither condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Among veterans receiving VHA care, diagnoses of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia were each associated with increased risk of receiving a new diagnosis of dementia, even when analyses controlled for baseline medical comorbidities. IRRs were elevated for patients with either condition, compared with those with neither condition, and highest for those with schizophrenia. VHA clinicians should evaluate patients for dementia when signs or symptoms of cognitive impairment are present.

Using patient-reported outcome measures for program evaluation: Design and findings on intention-to-treat outcomes from the Veterans Outcome Assessment survey

The Veterans Outcomes Assessment (VOA) program surveys Veteran Health Administration (VHA) patients when they begin mental health treatment and at follow-up at three months to obtain patient-reported outcomes measures (PROM). It complements VA's evolving program in measurement-based care by providing additional data that can be useful for program evaluation including assessments of patients who have not been seen for ongoing mental health care. In principle, it provides data on intention-to-treat outcomes for program evaluation to complement the outcomes for patients who are receiving ongoing treatment that can be derived from measurement-based care. VOA findings confirm differences in outcomes between patients who have continued to be seen for treatment and those who have not. Patients in general mental health clinics with no encounters between the baseline and follow-up assessments who reported discontinuing care because they did not want or need treatment improved more, and those who discontinued due to problems improved less than those who remained in treatment. Experience with VOA has identified a number of issues that must be addressed before it is possible to use intention-to-treat outcomes for program evaluation.

Brief Report: Opioid-Involved Overdose Mortality in United States Veterans

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to assess trends in opioid-involved overdose mortality among US Veterans.

METHODS

Age-adjusted drug overdose mortality rates, overall and by opioid subtype, were assessed from National Death Index data for US Veterans; statistical significance of trends was assessed for 2010 to 2015 and 2015 to 2016.

RESULTS

Veteran age-adjusted overdose mortality rates increased 23.7% from 2010 to 2015 (19.7-24.4 of 100 000) and a further 20.4% through 2016 (29.3 of 100 000). Opioid involvement increased from 51.3% in 2010 to 62.1% in 2016, as opioid overdose rates increased from 10.9 to 19.5 of 100 000. Overdose mortality varied substantially by opioid subtype and demographics.

CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

This report provides the first-ever description of trends and characteristics of overdose mortality and opioid-involved deaths among US Veterans of military service for the period 2010 to 2016. With the exception of female Veterans and Veterans in Western States, it has been found that trends in Veteran overdose mortality paralleled rising rates of drug overdose observed in the United States more broadly. Published 2020. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. (Am J Addict 2020;00:00-00).

Can "deaths of despair" serve as a focus for planning and evaluating clinical and preventive services for Veterans?

Deaths of despair, a composite outcome including suicide and drug- and alcohol-related deaths, have been increasing, especially in subpopulations and geographic areas sensitive to economic and social hardships. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has begun evaluating the utility of this concept to guide planning and evaluations of clinical and preventive services for Veterans. In this study, mortality rates for middle-aged American men for 2013 to 2017 were from CDC WONDER, and rates for all Veterans, those using VHA healthcare services (VHA-utilizers), and other (non-VHA) Veterans were derived from National Death Index data. Findings demonstrated that rates for the composite were higher in VHA-utilizers and lower in non-VHA Veterans than middle-aged American men, consistent with use of VHA services by Veterans with the greatest needs. State rates in Veteran men were significantly and positively correlated with state rates for American men, and both were correlated with other characteristics of the social environment. The lack of correlation between rates for suicide and drug-related deaths indicates that deaths of despair cannot be modeled by assuming parallel paths from reactions to community-based stressors to the component outcomes; models should allow for an impact of community characteristics on partitioning between outcomes.

Critical Periods for Increased Mortality After Discharge From Inpatient Mental Health Units: Opportunities for Prevention

OBJECTIVE

Studies of patients in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system and elsewhere have documented elevated mortality from suicide during a critical period within 30 to 90 days after discharge from inpatient mental health units. To support program planning, VA evaluated whether the elevated mortality during this critical period was specific to suicide or whether there were similar increases in other causes of death.

METHODS

Indicators of age, gender, inpatient diagnoses, and suicide attempts and ideation from VA records were combined with indicators of vital status and cause of death from the National Death Index. Analyses compared all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the first 30 and 90 days postdischarge with mortality in days 91 to 365 after discharge for the 106,430 VA patients discharged from inpatient mental health units in 2013-2014.

RESULTS

Elevated mortality during the first 30 and first 90 days after discharge was not specific to suicide. Higher rates of all-cause mortality were noted, including elevated mortality due to external causes other than suicide among young and middle-aged patients (ages 18-64) during the first 30 days and among older patients (≥65) during the first 90 days. An increase in natural-cause mortality among older patients was attributable to greater mortality among those with dementia diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated rates of nonsuicide external-cause mortality in the critical period within 30 to 90 days after discharge from inpatient mental health care suggest important opportunities for prevention. Greater mortality among patients with dementia or related neurodegenerative diseases raises questions regarding current strategies for managing behavioral symptoms and transitions to end-of-life care.

Developing a practical suicide risk prediction model for targeting high-risk patients in the Veterans health Administration

OBJECTIVES

The US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has begun using predictive modeling to identify Veterans at high suicide risk to target care. Initial analyses are reported here.

METHODS

A penalized logistic regression model was compared with an earlier proof-of-concept logistic model. Exploratory analyses then considered commonly-used machine learning algorithms. Analyses were based on electronic medical records for all 6,360 individuals classified in the National Death Index as having died by suicide in fiscal years 2009-2011 who used VHA services the year of their death or prior year and a 1% probability sample of time-matched VHA service users alive at the index date (n = 2,112,008).

RESULTS

A penalized logistic model with 61 predictors had sensitivity comparable to the proof-of-concept model (which had 381 predictors) at target thresholds. The machine learning algorithms had relatively similar sensitivities, the highest being for Bayesian additive regression trees, with 10.7% of suicides occurred among the 1.0% of Veterans with highest predicted risk and 28.1% among the 5.0% of with highest predicted risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these results, VHA is using penalized logistic regression in initial intervention implementation. The paper concludes with a discussion of other practical issues that might be explored to increase model performance.

Substance use disorders and the risk of suicide mortality among men and women in the US Veterans Health Administration

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Limited information is available regarding links between specific substance use disorders (SUDs) and suicide mortality; however, the preliminary evidence that is available suggests that suicide risk associated with SUDs may differ for men and women. This study aimed to estimate associations between SUDs and suicide for men and women receiving Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care.

DESIGN

A cohort study using national administrative health records.

SETTING

National VHA system, USA.

PARTICIPANTS

All VHA users in fiscal year (FY) 2005 who were alive at the beginning of FY 2006 (n = 4 863 086).

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome of suicide mortality was assessed via FY 2006-2011 National Death Index (NDI) records. Current SUD diagnoses were the primary predictors of interest, and were assessed via FY 2004-2005 VHA National Patient Care Database (NPCD) records.

FINDINGS

In unadjusted analyses, a diagnosis of any current SUD and the specific current diagnoses of alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, opioid, amphetamine and sedative use disorders were all associated significantly with increased risk of suicide for both males and females [hazard ratios (HRs)] ranging from 1.35 for cocaine use disorder to 4.74 for sedative use disorder for men, and 3.89 for cannabis use disorder to 11.36 for sedative use disorder for women]. Further, the HR estimates for the relations between any SUD, alcohol, cocaine and opioid use disorders and suicide were significantly stronger for women than men (P < 0.05). After adjustment for other factors, most notably comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, associations linking SUDs with suicide were attenuated markedly and the greater suicide risk among females was observed for only any SUD and opioid use disorder (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Current substance use disorders (SUDs) signal increased suicide risk, especially among women, and may be important markers to consider including in suicide risk assessment strategies. None the less, other co-occurring psychiatric disorders may partially explain associations between SUDs and suicide, as well as the observed excess suicide risk associated with SUDs among women.

Design and conduct of a provider survey to determine a clinically persuasive effect size in planning VA Cooperative Study #590 (Li+)

Background

The estimation of an effect size is an important step in designing an adequately powered, feasible clinical trial intended to change clinical practice. During the planning phase of VA Cooperative Study #590, “Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Lithium for Preventing Repeated Suicidal Self-Directed Violence in Patients with Depression or Bipolar Disorder (Li+),” it was not clear what effect size would be considered large enough to influence prescribing behavior among practicing clinicians.

Methods

We conducted an online survey of VA psychiatrists to assess their interest in the study question, their clinical experience with lithium, and their opinion about what suicide reduction rate would change their prescribing habits. The 9-item survey was hosted on SurveyMonkey^© and VA psychiatrists were individually emailed an invitation to complete an anonymous online survey. Three email waves were sent over three weeks.

Results

Overall, 862 of 2713 VA psychiatrists (response rate = 31.8%) responded to the anonymous survey. 74% of the respondents would refer a patient to the proposed trial, 9% would not, and 17% were unsure. Presented with suicide reduction rates in 10% increments ranging from 10 to 100%, 61% of respondents indicated that they would use lithium if suicide attempts were reduced by at least 40%; 83% would use lithium if it reduced attempts by at least 50%.

Conclusions

Even with the limitations of response bias and the reliability of responses on future prescribing behavior, a survey of potential users of a clinical trial's results offers a convenient, empirical method for determining and justifying clinically relevant effect sizes.

Does Suicidal Ideation as Measured by the PHQ-9 Predict Suicide Among VA Patients?

OBJECTIVE

Frequency of suicidal ideation in the past two weeks, assessed by item 9 of the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), has been positively associated with suicide mortality among patients in a setting other than the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). To inform suicide prevention activities at the VHA, it is important to evaluate whether item 9 is associated with suicide risk among patients in the VHA system.

METHODS

PHQ-9 assessments (N=447,245) conducted by the VHA between October 1, 2009, and September 30, 2010, were collected. National Death Index data were used to ascertain suicide mortality from the date of PHQ-9 assessment through September 30, 2011. Multivariable proportional hazards regressions were used to evaluate associations between responses to item 9 and suicide mortality.

RESULTS

After the analyses adjusted for covariates, a response of "several days" for item 9 was associated with a 75% increased risk of suicide (hazard ratio [HR]=1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.24-2.46), a response of "more than half the days" was associated with a 115% increased risk of suicide (HR=2.15, CI=1.32-3.51), and a response of "nearly every day" was associated with a 185% increased risk of suicide (HR=2.85, CI=1.81-4.47), compared with a response of "not at all." However, 71.6% of suicides during the study period occurred among patients who responded "not at all" to item 9 from their most recent PHQ-9.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of suicidal ideation, indicated by item 9 of the PHQ-9, were associated with increased risk of suicide among patients in the VHA system.

Predictive Modeling and Concentration of the Risk of Suicide: Implications for Preventive Interventions in the US Department of Veterans Affairs

OBJECTIVES

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) evaluated the use of predictive modeling to identify patients at risk for suicide and to supplement ongoing care with risk-stratified interventions.

METHODS

Suicide data came from the National Death Index. Predictors were measures from VHA clinical records incorporating patient-months from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2011, for all suicide decedents and 1% of living patients, divided randomly into development and validation samples. We used data on all patients alive on September 30, 2010, to evaluate predictions of suicide risk over 1 year.

RESULTS

Modeling demonstrated that suicide rates were 82 and 60 times greater than the rate in the overall sample in the highest 0.01% stratum for calculated risk for the development and validation samples, respectively; 39 and 30 times greater in the highest 0.10%; 14 and 12 times greater in the highest 1.00%; and 6.3 and 5.7 times greater in the highest 5.00%.

CONCLUSIONS

Predictive modeling can identify high-risk patients who were not identified on clinical grounds. VHA is developing modeling to enhance clinical care and to guide the delivery of preventive interventions.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide in 5.9 million individuals receiving care in the veterans health administration health system

BACKGROUND

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) confers risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts but a link with suicide is not yet established. Prior analyses of users of the Veterans health administration (VHA) Health System suggest that other mental disorders strongly influence the association between PTSD and suicide in this population. We examined the association between PTSD and suicide in VHA users, with a focus on the influence of other mental disorders.

METHODS

Data were based on linkage of VA National Patient Care Database records and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention׳s National Death Index, with data from fiscal year 2007-2008. Analyses were based on multivariate logistic regression and structural equation models.

RESULTS

Among users of VHA services studied (N=5,913,648), 0.6% (N=3620) died by suicide, including 423 who had had been diagnosed with PTSD. In unadjusted analysis, PTSD was associated with increased risk for suicide, with odds ratio, OR (95% confidence interval, 95% CI)=1.34 (1.21, 1.48). Similar results were obtained after adjustment for demographic variables and veteran characteristics. After adjustment for multiple other mental disorder diagnoses, PTSD was associated with decreased risk for suicide, OR (95% CI)=0.77 (0.69, 0.86). Major depressive disorder (MDD) had the largest influence on the association between PTSD and suicide.

LIMITATIONS

The analyses were cross-sectional. VHA users were studied, with unclear relevance to other populations.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest the importance of identifying and treating comorbid MDD and other mental disorders in VHA users diagnosed with PTSD in suicide prevention efforts.

Tobacco use disorder and the risk of suicide mortality

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Tobacco use may be a risk factor for suicide mortality; however, prior research has produced equivocal findings and has been limited by relatively small sample sizes to study the rare event of suicide, as well as a lack of adjustment for other important factors, including psychiatric illness. We estimate the predictive association between tobacco use disorder and the risk of suicide mortality, adjusting for other important variables.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

SETTING

The United States Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

PARTICIPANTS

All individuals who received VHA services in fiscal year (FY) 2005 and were alive at the start of FY 2006 (n = 4 863 086).

MEASUREMENTS

Tobacco use disorder was assessed via FYs 2004-05 VHA National Patient Care Database records. The outcome of suicide mortality was assessed during the follow-up interval from the beginning of FY 2006 to the end of FY 2008 using National Death Index records.

FINDINGS

Of the 4 863 086 individuals in the study, 4823 died by suicide during the follow-up interval. In the unadjusted model, tobacco use disorder was associated with an increased risk of suicide [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.88; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.76, 2.02]. After adjustment for model covariates, the association remained statistically significant, although attenuated (HR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.27, 1.46).

CONCLUSIONS

Tobacco use disorder may confer a modest excess risk of death by suicide. Psychiatric disorders may partially explain the relationship between tobacco use disorder and suicide.

Associations between body mass index and suicide in the veterans affairs health system

OBJECTIVES

Associations between BMI and suicide risks and methods for individuals receiving care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health system were evaluated.

DESIGN AND METHODS

For 4,005,640 patients in fiscal years 2001-2002, multivariable survival analyses assessed associations between BMI and suicide, through FY2009. Covariates included demographics, psychiatric, and nonpsychiatric diagnoses, receipt of VHA mental health encounters, and regional network. Among suicide decedents, multivariable Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) regression examined associations between BMI and suicide method.

RESULTS

1.3% of patients were underweight, 24.3% normal weight, 40.6% overweight, and 33.8% obese. Underweight was associated with increased suicide risk (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.36) compared to normal. Overweight and obese status were associated with lower risk (AHR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.74, 0.82; AHR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.66, respectively). Among suicide decedents, high lethality methods were most common among underweight and least common among obese individuals. Adjusting for covariates, BMI was not associated with method lethality, yet some associations were observed between BMI and specific methods.

CONCLUSION

Among VHA patients, BMI was negatively associated with suicide risks. These differences may partly relate to choice of suicide method. Low BMI offers an additional resource for clinical suicide risk assessments.

Suicide mortality following nursing home discharge in the Department of Veterans Affairs health system

OBJECTIVES

We assessed suicide rates up to 6 months following discharge from US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing homes.

METHODS

In VA Minimum Data Set (MDS) records, we identified 281 066 live discharges from the 137 VA nursing homes during fiscal years 2002 to 2008. We used MDS and administrative data to assess resident age, gender, behaviors, pain, and indications of psychoses, bipolar disorder, dementia, and depression. We identified vital status and suicide mortality within 6 months of discharge through National Death Index searches.

RESULTS

Suicide rates within 6 months of discharge were 88.0 per 100 000 person-years for men and 89.4 overall. Standardized mortality ratios relative to age- and gender-matched individuals in the VA patient population were 2.3 for men (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9, 2.8) and 2.4 overall (95% CI = 2.0, 2.9). In multivariable proportional hazards regression analyses, resident characteristics, diagnoses, behaviors, and pain were not significantly associated with suicide risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Suicide risk was elevated following nursing home discharge. This underscores the importance of ongoing VA efforts to enhance discharge planning and timely postdischarge follow-up.

Noncancer pain conditions and risk of suicide

IMPORTANCE

There are limited data on the extent to which suicide mortality is associated with specific pain conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations between clinical diagnoses of noncancer pain conditions and suicide among individuals receiving services in the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

DESIGN

Retrospective data analysis.

SETTING

Data were extracted from National Death Index and treatment records from the Department of Veterans Healthcare System.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals receiving services in fiscal year 2005 who remained alive at the start of fiscal year 2006 (N = 4 863 086).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Analyses examined the association between baseline clinical diagnoses of pain-related conditions (arthritis, back pain, migraine, neuropathy, headache or tension headache, fibromyalgia, and psychogenic pain) and subsequent suicide death (assessed in fiscal years 2006-2008).

RESULTS

Controlling for demographic and contextual factors (age, sex, and Charlson score), elevated suicide risks were observed for each pain condition except arthritis and neuropathy (hazard ratios ranging from 1.33 [99% CI, 1.22-1.45] for back pain to 2.61 [1.82-3.74] for psychogenic pain). When analyses controlled for concomitant psychiatric conditions, the associations between pain conditions and suicide death were reduced; however, significant associations remained for back pain (hazard ratio, 1.13 [99% CI, 1.03-1.24]), migraine (1.34 [1.02-1.77]), and psychogenic pain (1.58 [1.11-2.26]).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

There is a need for increased awareness of suicide risk in individuals with certain noncancer pain diagnoses, in particular back pain, migraine, and psychogenic pain.

Changes in suicide rates and in mental health staffing in the veterans health administration, 2005-2009

OBJECTIVE

Between 2005 and 2009, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) enhanced its mental health programs and increased outpatient mental health staffing by 52.8%. However, suicide rates among VHA patients remained the same. This study evaluated this finding by examining variability in staffing increases between VHA's 21 regional networks (Veterans Integrated Service Networks) (VISNs) and associations with suicide rates.

METHODS

Suicide rates among VHA patients were derived from the National Death Index and VHA clinical and administrative records for 2005 and 2009. Comparisons across VISNs used measures of proportional change in mental health staffing (overall and in inpatient, residential, intensive case management, and outpatient programs) and comparable measures of mental health staffing per 1,000 mental health patients.

RESULTS

Significant correlations were found between proportional changes from 2005 to 2009 in suicide rates and outpatient mental health staffing (r=-.453, p=.039) and outpatient mental health staffing per 1,000 patients (r=-.533, p=.013). The ten VISNs above the median in proportional changes in mental health staffing had average decreases in suicide rates of 12.6% while those below had increases of 11.6% (p=.005). For proportional changes in mental health staffing per 1,000 patients, those above the median had decreases of 11.2% and those below had increases of 13.8% (p=.014). For the average VISN, it would have required a 27.5%-36.8% increase in outpatient staff over 2005 levels to decrease suicide rates by 10%.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health enhancements in VHA were associated with decreases in suicide rates in VISNs where the increases in mental health outpatient staffing were greatest.

Implementation and early utilization of a Suicide Hotline for veterans

Suicide crisis lines have a respected history as a strategy for reducing deaths from suicide and suicidal behaviors. Until recently, however, evidence of the effectiveness of these crisis lines has been sparse. Studies published during the past decade suggest that crisis lines offer an alternative to populations who may not be willing to engage in treatment through traditional mental health settings. Given this promising evidence, in 2007, the Department of Veterans Affairs in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration implemented a National Suicide Hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by Veterans Affairs clinical staff. We report here on the implementation of this suicide hotline and our early observations of its utilization in a largely male population.

Suicide among veterans in 16 states, 2005 to 2008: comparisons between utilizers and nonutilizers of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services based on data from the National Death Index, the National Violent Death Reporting System, and VHA administrative records

OBJECTIVES

We sought to compare suicide rates among veterans utilizing Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services versus those who did not.

METHODS

Suicide rates from 2005 to 2008 were estimated for veterans in the 16 states that fully participated in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), using data from the National Death Index, NVDRS, and VHA records.

RESULTS

Between 2005 and 2008, veteran suicide rates differed by age and VHA utilization status. Among men aged 30 years and older, suicide rates were consistently higher among VHA utilizers. However, among men younger than 30 years, rates declined significantly among VHA utilizers while increasing among nonutilizers. Over these years, an increasing proportion of male veterans younger than 30 years received VHA services, and these individuals had a rising prevalence of diagnosed mental health conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher rates of suicide for utilizers of VHA among veteran men aged 30 and older were consistent with previous reports about which veterans utilize VHA services. The increasing rates of mental health conditions in utilizers younger than 30 years suggested that the decreasing relative rates in this group were related to the care provided, rather than to selective enrollment of those at lower risk for suicide.

Prevalence and characteristics of suicide ideation and attempts among active military and veteran participants in a national health survey

The relationships between military service and suicide are not clear, and comparatively little is known about the characteristics and correlates of suicide ideation and attempts among those with history of military service. We used data from a national health survey to estimate the prevalence and correlates of suicidal behaviors among veterans and service members in 2 states. The prevalence of suicidal behaviors among Veterans was similar to previous estimates of ideation and attempts among adults in the US general population.

Reducing suicidal ideation and depression in older primary care patients: 24-month outcomes of the PROSPECT study

OBJECTIVE

The Prevention of Suicide in Primary Care Elderly: Collaborative Trial (PROSPECT) evaluated the impact of a care management intervention on suicidal ideation and depression in older primary care patients. This is the first report of outcomes over a 2-year period.

METHOD

Study participants were patients 60 years of age or older (N=599) with major or minor depression selected after screening 9,072 randomly identified patients of 20 primary care practices randomly assigned to provide either the PROSPECT intervention or usual care. The intervention consisted of services of 15 trained care managers, who offered algorithm-based recommendations to physicians and helped patients with treatment adherence over 24 months.

RESULTS

Compared with patients receiving usual care, those receiving the intervention had a higher likelihood of receiving antidepressants and/or psychotherapy (84.9%-89% versus 49%-62%) and had a 2.2 times greater decline in suicidal ideation over 24 months. Treatment response occurred earlier on average in the intervention group and increased from months 18 to 24, while no appreciable increase in treatment response occurred in the usual care group during the same period. Among patients with major depression, a greater number achieved remission in the intervention group than in the usual-care group at 4 months (26.6% versus 15.2%), 8 months (36% versus 22.5%), and 24 months (45.4% versus 31.5%). Patients with minor depression had favorable outcomes regardless of treatment assignment.

CONCLUSIONS

Sustained collaborative care maintains high utilization of depression treatment, reduces suicidal ideation, and improves the outcomes of major depression over 2 years.

Stigma and the acceptability of depression treatments among african americans and whites

BACKGROUND

Stigma is associated with depression treatment, however, whether stigma differs between depression treatment modalities is not known, nor have racial differences in depression treatment stigma been fully explored.

OBJECTIVE

To measure stigma for four depression treatments and estimate its association with treatment acceptability for African Americans and whites.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, anonymous mailed survey.

PARTICIPANTS

Four hundred and ninety African-American and white primary care patients.

MEASUREMENTS

The acceptability of four depression treatments (prescription medication, mental health counseling, herbal remedy, and spiritual counseling) was assessed using a vignette. Treatment-specific stigma was evaluated by asking whether participants would: (1) feel ashamed; (2) feel comfortable telling friends and family; (3) feel okay if people in their community knew; and (4) not want people at work to know about each depression treatment. Sociodemographics, depression history, and current depressive symptoms were measured.

RESULTS

Treatment-specific stigma was lower for herbal remedy than prescription medication or mental health counseling (p < .01). Whites had higher stigma than African Americans for all treatment modalities. In adjusted analyses, stigma relating to self [AOR 0.43 (0.20-0.95)] and friends and family [AOR 0.42 (0.21-0.88)] was associated with lower acceptability of mental health counseling. Stigma did not account for the lower acceptability of prescription medication among African Americans.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment associated stigma significantly affects the acceptability of mental health counseling but not prescription medication. Efforts to improve depression treatment utilization might benefit from addressing concerns about stigma of mental health counseling.