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Chu C, Stanley IH, Marx BP, King AJ, Vogt D, Gildea SM, Hwang IH, Sampson NA, O’Brien R, Stein MB, Ursano RJ, Kessler RC. Associations of vulnerability to stressful life events with suicide attempts after active duty among high-risk soldiers: results from the Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers-longitudinal study (STARRS-LS). Psychol Med 2023; 53:4181-4191. [PMID: 35621161 PMCID: PMC9701247 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722000915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The transition from military service to civilian life is a high-risk period for suicide attempts (SAs). Although stressful life events (SLEs) faced by transitioning soldiers are thought to be implicated, systematic prospective evidence is lacking. METHODS Participants in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (STARRS) completed baseline self-report surveys while on active duty in 2011-2014. Two self-report follow-up Longitudinal Surveys (LS1: 2016-2018; LS2: 2018-2019) were subsequently administered to probability subsamples of these baseline respondents. As detailed in a previous report, a SA risk index based on survey, administrative, and geospatial data collected before separation/deactivation identified 15% of the LS respondents who had separated/deactivated as being high-risk for self-reported post-separation/deactivation SAs. The current report presents an investigation of the extent to which self-reported SLEs occurring in the 12 months before each LS survey might have mediated/modified the association between this SA risk index and post-separation/deactivation SAs. RESULTS The 15% of respondents identified as high-risk had a significantly elevated prevalence of some post-separation/deactivation SLEs. In addition, the associations of some SLEs with SAs were significantly stronger among predicted high-risk than lower-risk respondents. Demographic rate decomposition showed that 59.5% (s.e. = 10.2) of the overall association between the predicted high-risk index and subsequent SAs was linked to these SLEs. CONCLUSIONS It might be possible to prevent a substantial proportion of post-separation/deactivation SAs by providing high-risk soldiers with targeted preventive interventions for exposure/vulnerability to commonly occurring SLEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Chu
- Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ian H. Stanley
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian P. Marx
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrew J. King
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dawne Vogt
- National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah M. Gildea
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Irving H. Hwang
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nancy A. Sampson
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert O’Brien
- VA Health Services Research and Development Service, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Murray B. Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- School of Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert J. Ursano
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ronald C. Kessler
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Hammett TM, Donahue S, LeRoy L, Montague BT, Rosen DL, Solomon L, Costa M, Wohl D, Rich JD. Transitions to Care in the Community for Prison Releasees with HIV: a Qualitative Study of Facilitators and Challenges in Two States. J Urban Health 2015; 92:650-66. [PMID: 26022666 PMCID: PMC4524841 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-015-9968-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
One in seven people living with HIV in the USA passes through a prison or jail each year, and almost all will return to the community. Discharge planning and transitional programs are critical but challenging elements in ensuring continuity of care, maintaining treatment outcomes achieved in prison, and preventing further viral transmission. This paper describes facilitators and challenges of in-prison care, transitional interventions, and access to and continuity of care in the community in Rhode Island and North Carolina based on qualitative data gathered as part of the mixed-methods Link Into Care Study of prisoners and releasees with HIV. We conducted 65 interviews with correctional and community-based providers and administrators and analyzed the transcripts using NVivo 10 to identify major themes. Facilitators of effective transitional systems in both states included the following: health providers affiliated with academic institutions or other entities independent of the corrections department; organizational philosophy emphasizing a patient-centered, personal, and holistic approach; strong leadership with effective "champions"; a team approach with coordination, collaboration and integration throughout the system, mutual respect and learning between corrections and health providers, staff dedicated to transitional services, and effective communication and information sharing among providers; comprehensive transitional activities and services including HIV, mental health and substance use services in prisons, timely and comprehensive discharge planning with specific linkages/appointments, supplies of medications on release, access to benefits and entitlements, case management and proactive follow-up on missed appointments; and releasees' commitment to transitional plans. These elements were generally present in both study states but their absence, which also sometimes occurred, represent ongoing challenges to success. The qualitative findings on the facilitators and challenges of the transitional systems were similar in the two states despite differences in context, demographics of target population, and system organization. Recommendations for improved transitional systems follow from the analysis of the facilitators and challenges.
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