Differences Between Veteran Suicides With and Without Psychiatric Symptoms

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11026617
AutoresPeter C Britton (Peter C. Britton, Kerry Knox, Cynthia A. Claassen, and Kenneth R. Conner are with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. Mark A. Ilgen and Marcia Valenstein are with the VISN 11 Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation (SMITREC), Department of Veteran...), Mark A Ilgen (0000-0003-3658-029X, Peter C. Britton, Kerry Knox, Cynthia A. Claassen, and Kenneth R. Conner are with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. Mark A. Ilgen and Marcia Valenstein are with the VISN 11 Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation (SMITREC), Department of Veteran...), Marcia Valenstein (0000-0003-2916-970X, Peter C. Britton, Kerry Knox, Cynthia A. Claassen, and Kenneth R. Conner are with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. Mark A. Ilgen and Marcia Valenstein are with the VISN 11 Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation (SMITREC), Department of Veteran...), Kerry L Knox (Canandaigua VA Medical Center), Kerry Knox (Peter C. Britton, Kerry Knox, Cynthia A. Claassen, and Kenneth R. Conner are with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. Mark A. Ilgen and Marcia Valenstein are with the VISN 11 Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation (SMITREC), Department of Veteran...), Cynthia A Claassen (0000-0003-0750-0633, Peter C. Britton, Kerry Knox, Cynthia A. Claassen, and Kenneth R. Conner are with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. Mark A. Ilgen and Marcia Valenstein are with the VISN 11 Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation (SMITREC), Department of Veteran...), Kenneth R Conner (0000-0003-1083-5872, Peter C. Britton, Kerry Knox, Cynthia A. Claassen, and Kenneth R. Conner are with the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, and the Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY. Mark A. Ilgen and Marcia Valenstein are with the VISN 11 Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation (SMITREC), Department of Veteran...)
Año2012
Volumen102
NúmeroS1
PáginasS125-S130
Fecha de publicación2012-03-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
EditorialAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2011.300415
PMID22390586
PMCIDPMC3496441
OpenAlexW2062048979
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas26

Objectives. Our objective was to examine all suicides (n = 423) in 2 geographic areas of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) over a 7-year period and to perform detailed chart reviews on the subsample that had a VHA visit in the last year of life (n = 381). Methods. Within this sample, we compared a group with 1 or more documented psychiatric symptoms (68.5%) to a group with no such symptoms (31.5%). The groups were compared on suicidal thoughts and behaviors, somatic symptoms, and stressors using the χ 2 test and on time to death after the last visit using survival analyses. Results. Veterans with documented psychiatric symptoms were more likely to receive a suicide risk assessment, and have suicidal ideation and a suicide plan, sleep problems, pain, and several stressors. These veterans were also more likely to die in the 60 days after their last visit. Conclusions. Findings indicated presence of 2 large and distinct groups of veterans at risk for suicide in the VHA, underscoring the value of tailored prevention strategies, including approaches suitable for those without identified psychiatric symptoms

Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Occupational safety and health · Poison control · Psychiatry · Stressor · Suicidal ideation · Suicide prevention · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies