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.

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.

Military Sexual Trauma and Suicide Mortality.

INTRODUCTION: The Veterans Health Administration health system uses a clinical reminder in the medical record to screen for military sexual trauma. For more than 6 million Veterans, this study assessed associations between military sexual trauma screen results and subsequent suicide mortality. METHODS: For Veterans who received Veterans Health Administration services in fiscal years 2007-2011 and were screened for military sexual trauma (5,991,080 men; 360,774 women), proportional hazards regressions evaluated associations between military sexually trauma and suicide risk. Models were adjusted for age, rural residence, medical morbidity, and psychiatric conditions, obtained from medical records at the year military sexual trauma screening occurred. Analyses were conducted in 2014. RESULTS: Military sexual trauma was reported by 1.1% of men and 21.2% of women. A total of 9,017 Veterans completed suicide during the follow-up period. Hazard ratios for military sexual trauma were 1.69 (95% CI=1.45, 1.97) among men and 2.27 (95% CI=1.76, 2.94) among women. Suicide risk associated with military sexual trauma remained significantly elevated in adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: Study results are among the first population-based investigations to document sexual trauma as a risk factor for suicide mortality. Military sexual trauma represents a clinical indicator for suicide prevention in the Veterans Health Administration. Results suggest the importance of continued assessments regarding military sexual trauma and suicide risks and of collaboration between military sexual trauma-related programs and suicide prevention efforts. Moreover, military sexual trauma should be considered in suicide prevention strategies even among individuals without documented psychiatric morbidity.

Evaluation and costs of volunteer telephone cessation follow-up counseling for Veteran smokers discharged from inpatient units: a quasi-experimental, mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was used to evaluate the volunteer telephone smoking cessation counseling follow-up program implemented as part of the inpatient Tobacco Tactics intervention in a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental, mixed methods design that collected data through electronic medical records (EMR), observations of telephone smoking cessation counseling calls, interviews with staff and Veterans involved in the program, and intervention costs. RESULTS: Reach: Of the 131 Veterans referred to the smoking cessation telephone follow-up program, 19% were reached 0-1 times, while 81% were reached 2-4 times. Effectiveness: Seven-day point-prevalence 60-day quit rates (abstracted from the EMR) for those who were reached 2-4 times were 26%, compared to 8% among those who were reached 0-1 times (p = 0.06). Sixty-day 24-hour point-prevalence quit rates were 33% for those reached 2-4 times, compared to 4% of those reached 0-1 times (p < 0.01). Adoption and Implementation: The volunteers correctly followed protocol and were enthusiastic about performing the calls. Veterans who were interviewed reported positive comments about the calls. The cost to the hospital was $21 per participating Veteran, and the cost per quit was $92. Maintenance: There was short-term maintenance (about 1 year), but the program was not sustainable long term. CONCLUSIONS: Quit rates were higher among those Veterans that had greater participation in the calls. Joint Commission standards for inpatient smoking with follow-up calls are voluntary, but should these standards become mandatory, there may be more motivation for VA administration to institute a hospital-based, volunteer telephone smoking cessation follow-up program. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.Gov NCT01359371.

The impact of Sun Solutions educational interventions on select health belief model constructs.

The purpose of this study was to offer the Sun Solutions intervention to operating engineers (N = 232) to decrease sun exposure and skin cancer. The majority (82%) of the engineers worked outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., 4 to 5 hours a day; 81.4% reported more than one sunburn during the past year and 70% sometimes or never used sunscreen compared to 30% who wore sunscreen approximately 50% or more of the time. Most reported that the intervention was helpful (97%), most were satisfied (96%) with the intervention, and 84% expressed a future intention to use sunscreen. Regarding sun protective behaviors, the intervention significantly improved perceived self-efficacy (p < .05) and increased perceived barriers (p < .05). Regarding sunburn and skin cancer, the intervention increased perceived benefits (p < .05), susceptibility (p < .05), and severity (p < .05) for sunburning, but not skin cancer (p > .10). The Sun Solutions intervention showed the potential to increase sunscreen use and decrease the risk of sunburn and skin cancer among operating engineers.

Why do cancer patients smoke and what can providers do about it?

Despite the widespread dissemination of information about the health risks associated with smoking, many cancer patients continue to smoke, which results in a decreased quality of life, an increased probability of cancer recurrence, and a decreased survival time. Efficacious interventions are available to assist cancer patients to quit smoking, yet smoking cessation interventions are often not implemented. This review describes how clinicians, administrators, insurers, and purchasers can encourage a culture of health care in which tobacco cessation interventions are implemented consistent with evidenced-based standards of care. Implementing efficacious tobacco cessation interventions can reduce morbidity and mortality among cancer patients.