Suicide attempt, impulsivity, and exposure to trauma in college students

Objectives: Past suicide attempt (SA) is one of the most important risk factors for suicide death. An ideation-to-action framework posits that impulsivity, potentially traumatic events, and mental disorders also play a role in increasing suicide risk. This study aimed to assess the association between trait impulsivity, lifetime exposure to trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with SA in a sample of Brazilian college students. Methods: A total of 2,137 participants filled self-reported questionnaires consisting of a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian version, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Results: Our findings suggest that trait impulsivity may be interpreted as exerting a distal effect on SA, even in the presence of other variables - such as trauma history, psychological neglect, and PTSD - which also increase the odds of SA. High and medium levels of impulsivity, history of trauma, and PTSD increased the likelihood of SA. Conclusions: Intervention strategies to prevent SA may target trait impulsivity and exposure to traumatic experiences.

Suicide attempt, impulsivity, and exposure to trauma in college students.

OBJECTIVES: Past suicide attempt (SA) is one of the most important risk factors for suicide death. An ideation-to-action framework posits that impulsivity, potentially traumatic events, and mental disorders also play a role in increasing suicide risk. This study aimed to assess the association between trait impulsivity, lifetime exposure to trauma, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with SA in a sample of Brazilian college students. METHODS: A total of 2,137 participants filled self-reported questionnaires consisting of a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian version, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. RESULTS: Our findings suggest that trait impulsivity may be interpreted as exerting a distal effect on SA, even in the presence of other variables - such as trauma history, psychological neglect, and PTSD - which also increase the odds of SA. High and medium levels of impulsivity, history of trauma, and PTSD increased the likelihood of SA. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention strategies to prevent SA may target trait impulsivity and exposure to traumatic experiences.

Drugs age-of-onset as a signal of later post-traumatic stress disorder: Bayesian analysis of a census protocol.

Individuals with PTSD have an increased risk of drug use disorders. Conversely, we aim to evaluate how early onset of alcohol, tobacco and psychoactive drugs use are associated with PTSD later in life. 2,193 brazilian young adults completed modularized assessments: The Trauma History Questionnaire, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C, transformed to PCL-5 through a crosswalk procedure), the Barratt Impulsivity Scale; and a survey on drug use with self-report questions about first use, current use, frequency, quantity, and interpersonal consequences. Bayesian inference and multivariate regression models were used to examine the effects on the risk of PTSD, considering different assumptions of information flow. Raw and unbiased (multivariate) estimates consistently revealed that earlier age of onset of alcohol and tobacco use increased risk for PTSD (Odds-ratios between 2.39 and 3.19 (Alcohol) and 1.82 to 2.05 (Tobacco). Among those who had PTSD (310), 10.3% (32) were very precocious at the onset age (12 to 18 years) of alcohol consumption (No-PTSD: 89 out 1883, 4.7%). Data supports a model in which age of onset effects are partially mediated by the number of trauma exposures. Early intoxication might suggest vulnerability for qualifying trauma events, or it may increase chances of exposure. Also, PTSD may be more likely to occur among trauma-exposed individuals with early intoxicating experiences due to alcohol or drug self-administration. The last possibility resonates with the idea that early intoxication might disrupt adolescent brain development, with a subsequent reduction in resilience when qualifying trauma events occur.

Implementation of a Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional (BALANCE) Program for improvement on quality of diet and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events: A randomized, multicenter trial

Background Complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with higher ischemic risk, which can be mitigated by long-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). However, concomitant high bleeding risk (HBR) may be present, making it unclear whether short- or long-term DAPT should be prioritized. Objectives This study investigated the effects of ischemic (by PCI complexity) and bleeding (by PRECISE-DAPT [PRE dicting bleeding Complications in patients undergoing stent Implantation and Sub sequent Dual Anti Platelet Therapy] score) risks on clinical outcomes and on the impact of DAPT duration after coronary stenting. Methods Complex PCI was defined as ≥3 stents implanted and/or ≥3 lesions treated, bifurcation stenting and/or stent length >60 mm, and/or chronic total occlusion revascularization. Ischemic and bleeding outcomes in high (≥25) or non-high (<25) PRECISE-DAPT strata were evaluated based on randomly allocated duration of DAPT. Results Among 14,963 patients from 8 randomized trials, 3,118 underwent complex PCI and experienced a higher rate of ischemic, but not bleeding, events. Long-term DAPT in non-HBR patients reduced ischemic events in both complex (absolute risk difference: −3.86%; 95% confidence interval: −7.71 to +0.06) and noncomplex PCI strata (absolute risk difference: −1.14%; 95% confidence interval: −2.26 to −0.02), but not among HBR patients, regardless of complex PCI features. The bleeding risk according to the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction scale was increased by long-term DAPT only in HBR patients, regardless of PCI complexity. Conclusions Patients who underwent complex PCI had a higher risk of ischemic events, but benefitted from long-term DAPT only if HBR features were not present. These data suggested that when concordant, bleeding, more than ischemic risk, should inform decision-making on the duration of DAPT. (AU)

Types of Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Academic Performance in a Population of University Students.

The aim of this work was to investigate the association between traumatic experiences and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with the academic performance of university students. This is a one-phase study that included 2213 students, enrolled at one of seven college institutions in their first or final semesters in all programs, who filled out the self-response questionnaires. From this student population, 14% presented with PTSD, with 13.3% in their first semester and 14.9% in their final semester. The students who presented lower academic results (low scoring) had a higher prevalence of PTSD in both the first and final semesters. Nonsexual violence was related with low scoring in the first-semester students. Thus, we conclude that students in the PTSD group present worse academic performance. These results indicate a need to pay attention to students who have been through traumatic experiences and gone on to develop PTSD, to ensure their undergraduate success and enable their future performance as professionals.

Impulsivity is relevant for trauma exposure and PTSD symptoms in a non-clinical population.

Impulsivity is a relevant construct for explaining both normal individual differences in personality and more extreme personality disorder, and is often investigated within clinical populations. This study aims to explore the college students' impulsivity patterns and to investigate the association across levels of impulsivity with trauma exposure and PTSD development in a non-clinical population. A one-phase census survey of seven college institutions assessed 2213 students in three metropolitan regions of Northeastern Brazil. All subjects anonymously completed a self-applied protocol consisting of: a socio-demographic questionnaire, Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ), PTSD Checklist (PCL-C), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). The median for frequency of trauma exposure was 4 events for people with low and normal impulsivity, and 6 for highly impulsive ones. Individuals with higher impulsivity presented earlier exposition than non-impulsive ones, and worst outcome: 12.4% with PTSD, against 8.4% and 2.3% (normal and low impulsivity). Of the three factors of impulsivity, the Attentional factor conferred the strongest association with PTSD development. Results suggest that impulsivity is also a relevant trait in a non-clinical population and is associated with trauma exposure and PTSD. Strategies to promote mental health in adolescents may be pertinent, especially with the aim of managing impulsivity.

Clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of college students exposed to traumatic experiences: a census of seven college institutions in Northeastern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies show that most of the adult population will be exposed to at least one potentially traumatic event in the course of his/her life; adolescence and early adulthood are the most vulnerable periods of life for exposure to traumatic experiences (70% of their deaths are due to external causes). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is characterized by the development of dysfunctional symptoms that cause distress or social, academic, or occupational impairment, as result of exposure to a traumatic event. The aim of this multicentric study is to establish the proportion of college students, within seven institutions in Northeastern Brazil, who were exposed to traumatic experience and met PTSD criteria. METHODS/DESIGN: A one-phase census protocol of seven college institutions in three metropolitan regions in Northeastern Brazil was performed (April to July 2011). All students aged 18 years or older, matriculated and attending their first or final semester were eligible. The self-applied protocol consisted of a socio-demographic questionnaire and the following scales adjusted to Brazilian Portuguese standards Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ), PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C), Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11). Data were entered into SPSS 17.0. RESULTS: 2213 (85.5%) students consented to participate, and completely filled in the protocols. Of these, 66.1% were woman, mean age 23.9 (SD 6.3), 82.7% were single, and 57.3% attended university outside their native cities. The total PTSD prevalence was 14%, and the median for frequency of trauma exposure was 5 events. CONCLUSION: A high frequency of exposure to violence, as well as a high rate of PTSD, suicide attempts, and high-risk sexual behavior was found in Brazilian college students. This highlights the importance of effective public health actions in relation to the prevention and treatment of PTSD and other dysfunctional behaviors resulting from traumatic exposure in young individuals, usually an at risk population for violence and traumatic situations.