Risk Factors Explaining Military Deaths From Suicide, 2008-2017:A Latent Class Analysis

Sexual compulsivity, erectile dysfunction, and suicidality among male survivors of military sexual violence

Although military sexual trauma (MST) is associated with an increased risk of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation among service members and veterans, there is limited knowledge regarding the mechanisms of MST and suicidality among men. The current study examined whether MST was associated with sexual compulsivity and/or erectile dysfunction and if these, in turn, explained elevated suicidal thoughts and the likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior after accounting for mental health, military, and demographic characteristics. Service members and veterans who reported their gender as male (N = 508) were recruited via social media and completed online self-report measures assessing MST, erectile dysfunction, sexual compulsivity, suicidal ideation frequency, and the likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. Path analysis was used to examine the study hypotheses. In total, 67 participants (13.2%) reported a history of MST; of these individuals, 27 (40.3%) reported suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, and 29 (43.9%) reported an increased likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. MST was associated with increased sexual compulsivity, which, in turn, predicted more frequent suicidal ideation as well as a higher self-reported likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. MST was associated with higher levels of erectile dysfunction, but erectile dysfunction was not associated with suicidal ideation in the adjusted model. Although the data were cross-sectional, precluding determinations of causality, the results support assessing and intervening with regard to sexual compulsivity to mitigate the risk for suicide-related outcomes among men who experience MST.

Major Depressive Disorder, Suicides, and the Role of Dimensional Psychiatry for Triaging in Primary Care Settings: A Case Series Retroanalysis

Objective

The goal was to promote early diagnosis and referral of patients with depressive symptomology in the primary care setting using a biopsychosocial-informed risk stratification tool to prevent suicides.

Methods

A qualitative analysis of military suicides stationed at Fort Eustis, Virginia, using demographics from Fatality Review Boards (FRBs) of 10 cases assessing shared biopsychosocial stressors was conducted. The case reviews were used to assess the failure modes and effects analyses (FMEA), prompting the development of a performance improvement (PI) plan via a risk stratification scale that recognizes opportunities for intervention in the primary care and supervisor/peer settings to improve patient outcomes.

Results

FMEA revealed the presence and interplay of multiple biopsychosocial stressors specifically impacting relationships, occupational functioning, financial status, legal issues, and undiagnosed mental health conditions across the 10 suicides reviewed. Furthermore, the severity of each stressor was best examined from a dimensional perspective to gauge the impact on or impairment of the individual in the military setting. The dimensional use of biopsychosocial stressors is congruent with our hypothesis that an increase in duration and intensity of biopsychosocial stressors increases risk of suicide.

Conclusion

This case series reveals a gap in suicide assessment and suggests the use of a dimensional approach to measure biopsychosocial stressors at the entry level, such as primary care settings, or in the case of the military, during routine counseling. Additionally, a risk stratification tool that crosses biopsychosocial domains could provide a more accurate assessment for self-harm, in turn enabling a timely referral to appropriate helping agencies, including nonclinical resources.