Suicide Risk Among Veterans Receiving Therapy for PTSD
Author Information
Author(s): Saulnier Kevin G. PhD, Brabbs Stuart MPH, Szymanski Benjamin R. PhD MPH, Harpaz-Rotem Ilan PhD, McCarthy John F. PhD MPH, Sripada Rebecca K. PhD
Primary Institution: Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource and Evaluation Center, Office of Mental Health, Department of Veterans Affairs
Hypothesis
Is initiation and an adequate course of evidence-based therapy for PTSD associated with suicide risk among veterans?
Conclusion
Veterans who initiated cognitive processing therapy or prolonged exposure had a lower suicide risk than those who did not.
Supporting Evidence
- Initiation of CPT/PE treatment was associated with a 23% lower suicide risk.
- An adequate course of therapy was not associated with reduced suicide risk.
- Most of the veterans in the study were male and had a mean age of 50.1 years.
- 1552 suicides occurred among the cohort during the follow-up period.
- Veterans who received any psychotherapy also showed lower suicide risks.
Takeaway
This study found that veterans who started therapy for PTSD were less likely to think about suicide compared to those who didn't start therapy.
Methodology
Cohort study evaluating suicide risk among veterans with new PTSD diagnoses who initiated or received an adequate course of cognitive processing therapy or prolonged exposure.
Potential Biases
Residual confounding may still be present despite propensity score adjustments.
Limitations
The study could not differentiate between veterans who were offered therapy and those who declined, and there may be unmeasured variables affecting the results.
Participant Demographics
Of the 847,217 veterans, 86.9% were male, with a mean age of 50.1 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 0.59-0.99
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website