Marta R. Prescott

PTSD comorbidity and suicidal ideation associated with PTSD within the Ohio Army National Guard

OBJECTIVE To study the relation between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychiatric comorbidity and suicidal ideation in a representative sample of Ohio Army National Guard soldiers. METHOD Using retrospective data collected on the telephone from a random sample of 2,616 National Guard soldiers who enrolled in a 10-year longitudinal study (baseline data collected November 2008-November 2009), we examined (1) the prevalence of other psychopathologies among those with DSM-IV-diagnosed PTSD compared to those without PTSD and (2) the association between PTSD comorbidity and suicidal ideation (reporting thoughts of being better off dead or hurting themselves). All analyses were carried out using logistic regression. RESULTS Of guard members with PTSD in the last year, 61.7% had at least 1 other psychopathology; 20.2% had at least 2 other co-occurring conditions. The most common co-occurring psychopathology was depression. While those with PTSD overall were 5.4 (95% CI, 3.8-7.5) times more likely to report suicidality than those without PTSD, those who had at least 2 additional conditions along with PTSD were 7.5 (95% CI, 3.0-18.3) times more likely to report suicidal ideation at some point in their lifetime than those with PTSD alone. CONCLUSIONS Soldiers with PTSD were at increased risk for suicidality, and, among those with PTSD, those with at least 2 additional conditions were at the highest risk of suicidal ideation. Future research should address the mechanisms that contribute to multimorbidity in this population and the appropriate treatment methods for this high-risk group.

Coincident posttraumatic stress disorder and depression predict alcohol abuse during and after deployment among Army National Guard soldiers

BACKGROUND Although alcohol problems are common in military personnel, data examining the relationship between psychiatric conditions and alcohol abuse occurring de novo peri-/post-deployment are limited. We examined whether pre-existing or coincident depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) predicted new onset peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse among Ohio Army National Guard (OHARNG) soldiers. METHODS We analyzed data from a sample of OHARNG who enlisted between June 2008 and February 2009. Participants who had ever been deployed and who did not report an alcohol abuse disorder prior to deployment were eligible. Participants completed interviews assessing alcohol abuse, depression, PTSD, and the timing of onset of these conditions. Logistic regression was used to determine the correlates of peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse. RESULTS Of 963 participants, 113 (11.7%) screened positive for peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse, of whom 35 (34.0%) and 23 (32.9%) also reported peri-/post-deployment depression and PTSD, respectively. Soldiers with coincident depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.9, 95%CI: 2.0-7.2, p<0.01) and PTSD (AOR=2.7, 95%CI: 1.3-5.4, p<0.01) were significantly more likely to screen positive for peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse; in contrast, soldiers reporting pre-deployment depression or PTSD were at no greater risk for this outcome. The conditional probability of peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse was 7.0%, 16.7%, 22.6%, and 43.8% among those with no peri-/post-deployment depression or PTSD, PTSD only, depression only, and both PTSD and depression, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Coincident depression and PTSD were predictive of developing peri-/post-deployment alcohol abuse, and thus may constitute an etiologic pathway through which deployment-related exposures increase the risk of alcohol-related problems.

Relations between the underlying dimensions of PTSD and major depression using an epidemiological survey of deployed Ohio National Guard soldiers.

BACKGROUND In the present study, the authors investigated the relationship between the underlying symptom dimensions of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dimensions of major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD A sample of 1266 Ohio National Guard soldiers with a history of overseas deployment participated and were administered the PTSD Checklist (assessing PTSD) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (assessing depression). RESULTS Using confirmatory factor analysis, results demonstrated that both PTSDs dysphoria and hyperarousal factors were more related to depressions somatic than non-somatic factor. Furthermore, depressions somatic factor was more related to PTSDs dysphoria than hyperarousal factor. LIMITATIONS Limitations of this study include the use of self-report measures and a predominately male military sample. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that PTSDs dysphoria factor is related to depression specifically by way of depressions somatic construct. Given PTSDs substantial dysphoria/distress component, these results have implications for understanding the nature of PTSDs high comorbidity with depression.

Are doctors and nurses associated with coverage of essential health services in developing countries? A cross-sectional study

BackgroundThere is broad policy consensus that a shortage of doctors and nurses is a key constraint to increasing utilization of essential health services important for achieving the health Millennium Development Goals. However there is limited research on the quantitative links between health workers and service coverage rates. We examined the relationship between doctor and nurse concentrations and utilization rates of five essential health services in developing countries.MethodsWe performed cross-national analyses of low- and middle-income countries by means of ordinary least squares regression with coverage rates of antenatal care, attended delivery, caesarean section, measles immunization, tuberculosis case diagnosis and care for acute respiratory infection as outcomes. Doctor, nurse and aggregate health worker (sum of doctors and nurses) concentrations were the main explanatory variables.ResultsNurses were associated with utilization of skilled birth attendants (P = 0.02) and doctors were associated with measles immunization rates (P = 0.01) in separate adjusted analyses. Aggregate health workers were associated with the utilization of skilled birth attendants (P < 0.01) and measles immunization (P < 0.01). Doctors, nurses and aggregate health workers were not associated with the remaining four services.ConclusionA range of health system and population-level factors aside from health workers influences coverage of health services in developing countries. However, it is also plausible that health workers who are neither doctors nor nurses, such as clinical officers and community health workers, may be providing a substantial proportion of health services. The human resources for health research agenda should be expanded beyond doctors and nurses.

The factor structure of major depression symptoms: A test of four competing models using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9

Little research has examined the underlying symptom structure of major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms based on DSM-IV criteria. Our aim was to analyze the symptom structure of major depression, using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). The PHQ-9 was administered to a sample of 2615 Army National Guard soldiers from Ohio. A one-factor model of depression and three separate two-factor models previously established in the literature were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. Results demonstrated greater support for the two-factor models of depression than for the one-factor model. The best fitting model was the two-factor model of somatic and non-somatic symptoms supported previously by Krause et al. (2010) and Richardson and Richards (2008). Implications for understanding the components and mechanisms of MDD are discussed.

Suicide in Older Adults in Long-Term Care : 1990 to 2005

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics associated with suicide in older persons residing in long‐term care (LTC) facilities, to compare the characteristics of suicide cases in LTC with those of cases in the community, and to evaluate trends in suicide in these settings over the past 15 years.

Economic Conditions and Suicide Rates in New York City

Extant analyses of the relation between economic conditions and population health were often based on annualized data and were susceptible to confounding by nonlinear time trends. In the present study, the authors used generalized additive models with nonparametric smoothing splines to examine the association between economic conditions, including levels of economic activity in New York State and the degree of volatility in the New York Stock Exchange, and monthly rates of death by suicide in New York City. The rate of suicide declined linearly from 8.1 per 100,000 people in 1990 to 4.8 per 100,000 people in 1999 and then remained stable from 1999 to 2006. In a generalized additive model in which the authors accounted for long-term and seasonal time trends, there was a negative association between monthly levels of economic activity and rates of suicide; the predicted rate of suicide was 0.12 per 100,000 persons lower when economic activity was at its peak compared with when it was at its nadir. The relation between economic activity and suicide differed by race/ethnicity and sex. Stock market volatility was not associated with suicide rates. Further work is needed to elucidate pathways that link economic conditions and suicide.

Equity and the child health Millennium Development Goal: the role of pro-poor health policies

Background There are substantial disparities in mortality between rich and poor children in developing countries. As a result, there is a call for explicitly pro-poor health programming in efforts to reach the child health Millennium Development Goals. Aim To estimate the contribution made by pro-poor health policy to reduction in wealth disparities in under-5 mortality. Methods An ecological, cross-sectional analysis was performed using Demographic and Health Survey data from 47 developing countries. Multivariate analysis was used to estimate the association between government health expenditure, the wealth distribution of two essential child health services (concentration indices of immunisation and treatment for acute respiratory infection) and aggregate under-5 mortality, as well as two measures of poor–rich equity in mortality outcomes—the quintile ratio and the concentration index of under-5 mortality—while confounders were controlled for. Results Lower concentration (more pro-poor) indices for immunisation and treatment for acute respiratory infection were found to be associated with a reduction in inequity in under-5 mortality to the benefit of the poor. Government health expenditures were associated with lower overall national mortality reductions but had no effect on equity of mortality outcomes. Conclusions Redistributive health policies that promote pro-poor distribution of health services may reduce the gap in under-5 mortality between rich and poor in low-income and middle-income countries. To ensure that the poor gain from the current efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals, essential child health services should explicitly target the poor. Failing that, the gains from these services will tend to accrue to the wealthier children in countries, magnifying inequalities in mortality.

The long-term psychosocial impact of a surprise chemical weapons attack on civilians in Halabja, Iraqi Kurdistan

War and human rights abuses contribute to increased prevalence of posttraumatic stress (PTS) disorder and low social functioning among populations affected. There is relatively little evidence, however about the long-term mental health impact of war on general populations. We examined the prevalence of PTS symptoms and poor social functioning in Halabja, Iraqi Kurdistan, 18 years after a chemical attack on civilians in that town. We systematically sampled 291 persons representative of the population of Halabja from the city emergency department and 4 outpatient clinical sites. PTS symptoms and poor social functioning were common. After adjustment for covariates, female gender, older age, and cumulative exposure to multiple traumas, all were associated with higher PTS scores and worse social functioning. Exposure to human rights abuses and warlike conditions seem to continue to be risks for psychiatric and social dysfunction even decades after the initial incident.

The influence of a major disaster on suicide risk in the population

The authors investigated the relationship between the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and suicide risk in New York City from 1990 to 2006. The average monthly suicide rate over the study period was 0.56 per 100,000 people. The monthly rate after September 2001 was 0.11 per 100,000 people lower as compared to the rate in the period before. However, the rate of change in suicide was not significantly different before and after the disaster, and regression discontinuity analysis indicated no change at this date. There was no net change in the suicide rate in New York City attributable to this disaster, suggesting that factors other than exposure to traumatic events (e.g., cultural norms, availability of lethal methods) may be key drivers of suicide risk in this context.