Massed vs Intensive Outpatient Prolonged Exposure for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Improved, efficient, and acceptable treatments are needed for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objective: To determine the efficacy of 2 compressed prolonged exposure (PE) therapy outpatient treatments for combat-related PTSD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted among military personnel and veterans at 4 sites in Texas from 2017 to 2019. Assessors were blinded to conditions. Data were analyzed from November 2020 to October 2022. Interventions: The interventions were massed-PE, which included 15 therapy sessions of 90 minutes each over 3 weeks, vs intensive outpatient program PE (IOP-PE), which included 15 full-day therapy sessions over 3 weeks with 8 treatment augmentations. The IOP-PE intervention was hypothesized to be superior to massed-PE. Main Outcomes and Measures: Coprimary outcomes included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (DSM-5) (CAPS-5) and the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) administered at baseline and posttreatment follow-ups. Measures ranged from 0 to 80, with higher scores indicating greater severity. Diagnostic remission and reliable change were secondary outcomes. Results: Among 319 military personnel and veterans screened, 234 were randomized (mean [SD] age, 39.20 [7.72] years; 182 [78%] male participants), with 117 participants randomized to IOP-PE and 117 participants randomized to massed-PE. A total of 61 participants (26%) were African American, 58 participants (25%) were Hispanic, and 102 participants (44%) were White; 151 participants (65%) were married. Linear mixed-effects models found that CAPS-5 scores decreased in both treatment groups at the 1-month follow-up (IOP-PE: mean difference, -13.85 [95% CI, -16.47 to -11.23]; P < .001; massed-PE: mean difference, -14.13 [95% CI, -16.63 to -11.62]; P < .001). CAPS-5 change scores differed from 1- to 6-month follow-ups (mean difference, 4.44 [95% CI, 0.89 to 8.01]; P = .02). PTSD symptoms increased in massed-PE participants during follow-up (mean difference, 3.21 [95% CI, 0.65 to 5.77]; P = .01), whereas IOP-PE participants maintained treatment gains (mean difference, 1.23 [95% CI, -3.72 to 1.27]; P = .33). PCL-5 scores decreased in both groups from baseline to 1-month follow-up (IOP-PE: mean difference, -21.81 [95% CI, -25.57 to -18.04]; P < .001; massed-PE: mean difference, -19.96 [95% CI, -23.56 to -16.35]; P < .001) and were maintained at 6 months (IOP-PE: mean change, -0.21 [95% CI, -3.47 to 3.06]; P = .90; massed-PE: mean change, 3.02 [95% CI, -0.36 to 6.40]; P = .08). Both groups had notable PTSD diagnostic remission at posttreatment (IOP-PE: 48% [95% CI, 36% to 61%] of participants; massed-PE: 62% [95% CI, 51% to 73%] of participants), which was maintained at 6 months (IOP-PE: 53% [95% CI, 40% to 66%] of participants; massed-PE: 52% [95% CI, 38% to 66%] of participants). Most participants demonstrated reliable change on the CAPS-5 (61% [95% CI, 52% to 69%] of participants) and the PCL-5 (74% [95% CI, 66% to 81%] of participants) at the 1-month follow-up. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that PE can be adapted into compressed treatment formats that effectively reduce PTSD symptoms. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03529435.

Identifying Frequency of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Firefighters.

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a nationwide problem; yet, no firefighter mTBI data are available. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed retrospective head injuries using WHO guidelines. We captured mTBI frequency and examined firefighters' symptoms (e.g., using Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification method, Brief Traumatic Brain Injury Screen, Warrior Administered Retrospective Causality Assessment Tool). Findings: Of 1,112 firefighters contacted, 60 responses were included. Most participants were White (80%), male (90%), former athletes (75%). 62% met mTBI symptom criteria. 75% reported at least one lifetime head injury. Number of head injuries and depression symptoms were associated (r = .36, p < .05). Conclusion/application to practice: Overall, it appears most firefighters have sustained at least one lifetime mTBI. Those with multiple head injuries may be at increased risk of depression. Occupational health professionals should be aware of firefighters' mTBI risk. Further research is warranted given findings.

The Veterans Affairs Patient Safety Center of Inquiry-Suicide Prevention Collaborative: Creating Novel Approaches to Suicide Prevention Among Veterans Receiving Community Services.

BACKGROUND: While the US Department of Veterans Affairs has made significant strides to prevent veteran suicide, efforts have largely targeted veterans actively engaged in and eligible for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) care, which is consistent with the VHA mission. The majority of veterans are not enrolled in VHA care, and many are ineligible for services. Veterans not connected to VHA have experienced an increase in suicides in recent years. OBSERVATIONS: Since 2018, VHA National Center for Patient Safety has funded the Patient Safety Center of Inquiry-Suicide Prevention Collaborative (PSCI-SPC), which has worked to develop, implement, and evaluate practical solutions aimed at curbing the rising suicide rate among veterans not receiving VHA care. PSCI-SPC has 3 guiding objectives: (1) Develop and test a collaborative, organizational structure to connect VHA and community organizations, such as national, local, public, private, nonprofit, and academic partners who provide high-quality and timely health care; (2) Build and test a learning collaborative to facilitate sharing of VHA suicide prevention best practices with community partners to increase availability, consistency, and quality of mental health services for all veterans; and (3) Implement, test, and refine a novel program to provide affordable suicide prevention interventions to veterans with mental health needs, regardless of their use of, or eligibility for, VHA services. This paper details the current progress for this demonstration project. As these objectives are met, PSCI-SPC will create and disseminate products to support broad implementation of these practices to other VA medical centers and the communities they are embedded in. CONCLUSIONS: PSCI-SPC seeks to fill an important gap in veteran health care by serving as a national clinical innovation and dissemination center for best practices in suicide prevention for veterans who receive care in their communities.

The Influence of Exposure to Natural Disasters on Depression and PTSD Symptoms among Firefighters.

Introduction Firefighters represent an important population for understanding the consequences of exposure to potentially traumatic stressors. Hypothesis/Problem The researchers were interested in the effects of pre-employment disaster exposure on firefighter recruits' depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms during the first three years of fire service and hypothesized that: (1) disaster-exposed firefighters would have greater depression and PTSD symptoms than non-exposed overall; and (2) depression and PTSD symptoms would worsen over years in fire service in exposed firefighters, but not in their unexposed counterparts. METHODS: In a baseline interview, 35 male firefighter recruits from seven US cities reported lifetime exposure to natural disaster. These disaster-exposed male firefighter recruits were matched on age, city, and education with non-exposed recruits. RESULTS: A generalized linear mixed model revealed a significant exposure×time interaction (e coef =1.04; P<.001), such that depression symptoms increased with time for those with pre-employment disaster exposure only. This pattern persisted after controlling for social support from colleagues (e coefficient=1.05; P<.001), social support from families (e coefficient=1.04; P=.001), and on-the-job trauma exposure (coefficient=0.06; e coefficient=1.11; P<.001). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms did not vary significantly between exposure groups at baseline (P=.61). CONCLUSION: Depression symptoms increased with time for those with pre-employment disaster exposure only, even after controlling for social support. Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms did not vary between exposure groups. Pennington ML , Carpenter TP , Synett SJ , Torres VA , Teague J , Morissette SB , Knight J , Kamholz BW , Keane TM , Zimering RT , Gulliver SB . The influence of exposure to natural disasters on depression and PTSD symptoms among firefighters. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2018;33(1):102-108.

Intensive prolonged exposure therapy for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder: Design and methodology of a randomized clinical trial.

Combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the most common psychological health condition in military service members and veterans who have deployed to the combat theater since September 11, 2001. One of the highest research priorities for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs is to develop and evaluate the most efficient and efficacious treatments possible for combat-related PTSD. However, the treatment of combat-related PTSD in military service members and veterans has been significantly more challenging than the treatment of PTSD in civilians. Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated large posttreatment effect sizes for PTSD in civilian populations. However, recent randomized clinical trials of service members and veterans have achieved lesser reductions in PTSD symptoms. These results suggest that combat-related PTSD is unique. Innovative approaches are needed to augment established evidence-based treatments with targeted interventions that address the distinctive elements of combat-related traumas. This paper describes the design, methodology, and protocol of a randomized clinical trial to compare two intensive prolonged exposure therapy treatments for combat-related PTSD in active duty military service members and veterans and that can be administered in an acceptable, efficient manner in this population. Both interventions include intensive daily treatment over a 3-week period and a number of treatment enhancements hypothesized to result in greater reductions in combat-related PTSD symptoms. The study is designed to advance the delivery of care for combat-related PTSD by developing and evaluating the most potent treatments possible to reduce PTSD symptomatology and improve psychological, social, and occupational functioning.