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OBJECTIVES: A number of reports over the past 2 decades have provided recommendations for reducing the rate of suicide in the U.S. Armed Forces. Notwithstanding their veracity, few of these recommendations have been fully implemented. METHODS: At the direction of the Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Congress, a Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee was formed in 2022, with the mission of reviewing all policies and procedures regarding suicide within the DoD. The Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee considered over 400 specific recommendations garnered from component offices, military installation visits, and service member focus groups, ultimately making 127 recommendations. The Secretary of Defense then directed the formation of an implementation working group, which assessed these 127 recommendations for feasibility, impact, and required resourcing. RESULTS: After being assessed by the implementation working group, DoD leadership approved 111 total actions to move forward for resource consideration in the formal budget process. These actions aligned to 5 lines of effort focused on reducing suicide behavior throughout the military. Resourcing decisions then determined that 83 of these recommendations would be funded beginning in fiscal year 2025. DISCUSSION: From an implementation science perspective, broader agency concerns throughout the DoD often are primary barriers to implementing system-wide changes. By making deliberate decisions about prioritizing the most impactful actions, resourcing processes can be informed directly by relevant data. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of recommendations to reduce suicide deaths in the military must go through several deliberative steps in order to be prioritized, funded, and ultimately adopted by the military. As researchers and external stakeholders become more familiar with this process, recommendations for future prevention activities can better overcome barriers to implementation.
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Prevención del Suicidio , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Personal Militar/psicología , Personal Militar/estadística & datos numéricos , United States Department of Defense/organización & administración , Comités Consultivos , Suicidio/psicología , Suicidio/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Despite the effectiveness of bariatric surgery, utilization rates have increased only marginally over the last 2 decades; candidates who are eligible for bariatric surgery regularly fail to undergo surgery. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) has previously been used to assist in identification of those who will not move forward with surgery after being identified as eligible. However, medical insurance has been identified as a significant barrier to surgery; research in those who have universal healthcare may yield different results. OBJECTIVES: Determine if MMPI-RF scales are associated with failure to undergo bariatric surgery in patients eligible to have the procedure. SETTING: Large military hospital in the Northwestern U.S. METHODS: This study used archival data for 279 patients psychologically screened for eligibility for bariatric surgery. All assessments took place between January 2017 and December 2019. T-tests and chi-square tests were used to compare groups of patients who did and did not have surgery on relevant medical and demographic variables. Profile analyses of patient MMPI-2-RF scores were conducted to examine scale associations with undergoing surgery. RESULTS: A total of 86 bariatric surgery candidates (30.8%) did not undergo surgery. Results showed that sex, age, employment status, and arthritis were different between groups. Additionally, MMPI-2-RF scales were different between groups, including somatic complaints, neurological complaints, cynicism, and helplessness/hopelessness. CONCLUSIONS: MMPI-2-RF scales were associated with not having bariatric surgery, although not all scales exceeded clinical cut-offs. Findings indicate psychological and psychosocial differences, rather than psychopathology per se, may play a role in who undergoes bariatric surgery.
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Beginning in 1999, Department of Defense policy directed the military services to develop Combat and Operational Stress Control (COSC) programs to address prevention, early identification, and management of the negative effects of combat and operational stress. The aim of this study is to provide a narrative review of COSC programs and organize them into a prevention framework to clarify gaps and future directions. A systematic search was conducted to identify studies between 2001 and 2020 in peer-reviewed articles or government-sponsored reports describing an evaluation of COSC programs. The target population of these programs was US service members who had participated in an intervention designed to address combat or operational stress in a deployed, operational, or field setting. These programs then were rated for level of evidence and categorized using a tiered prevention model. This search identified 36 published evaluations of 19 COSC programs and interventions from. Most programs were described as effective in addressing target outcomes, with behavioral health outcomes reported for 13 of the 19 identified programs; the remaining six focused on knowledge base and behavior changes. Delivery of these prevention programs also ranged from peer-based implementation to formal treatment, including programs at all prevention levels. COSC interventions show promise for helping service members manage stress, with more than half of the programs showing evidence from studies using randomized designs. Future iterations of COSC program evaluations should explore the development of a joint curriculum using existing content in a tiered prevention framework.
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Personal Militar , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Estrés Psicológico/prevención & control , Estrés Laboral/prevención & control , Trastornos de Combate/prevención & controlRESUMEN
The Department of Defense has mandated combat and operational stress control (COSC) efforts for the Services since 1999. Although several COSC-related programs have been implemented, few have undergone evaluation, and no standardized metrics have been established to assess their effectiveness and utility. The purpose of this review was to characterize the content and psychometrics of measures that have been utilized as outcome metrics in evaluations of COSC-related programs and interventions. Systematic literature searches were conducted for publications that: a) evaluated at least one measure from U.S. service members who participated in a program or intervention to prevent or reduce the adverse effects of combat and operational stress; and b) reported U.S. data on the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and sensitivity/specificity of the identified measures. This process identified 15 measures for which psychometric properties were reviewed for acceptability based on recommended criteria. Identified measures varied from well-validated measures to newer instruments for which more data is needed on one or more of the target psychometric properties. Aside from internal consistency, psychometric data from U.S. military samples were sparse. Results further suggested that some measures might have reduced sensitivity in service members under certain conditions, such as large-scale screening. Additional studies are needed to validate COSC-relevant measures in service members. Future evaluations of programs and interventions for combat and operational stress should select measures that will increase the consistency of the literature, allow comparisons across studies, and ensure alignment with the objectives of identified programs.
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Personal Militar , Psicometría , Psicometría/métodos , Humanos , Personal Militar/psicología , Estados Unidos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Estrés Psicológico/terapia , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud , Trastornos de Combate/terapia , Trastornos de Combate/psicología , Estrés Laboral/prevención & control , Estrés Laboral/terapiaRESUMEN
Emerging research indicates that yoga is a promising adjunct to psychological trauma treatment. The current pilot study examined the associations between psychophysiological stress, diaphragmatic breathing (DB), and a trauma-sensitive yoga (TSY) regimen developed specifically for trauma-exposed service members in alignment with recent calls for precision in reporting therapeutic yoga protocols. Participants were 31 service members enrolled in a trauma-focused intensive outpatient program (IOP). Service members participated in a brief diaphragmatic breathing (DB) session using the Breathe2Relax (B2R) app followed by the TSY session. Heart rate (HR) and perceived stress were measured at baseline and after both the DB practice and the TSY session. We assessed Yoga and DB expectancies at baseline and post TSY. Participants also rated the acceptability and usability of the B2R app. Results of linear mixed effects regression models showed decreases in HR and perceived stress, compared to baseline, following DB (HR, b = -8.68, CI 95% = -13.34, -4.02; perceived stress, b = -1.77, CI 95% = -2.35, -1.18) and TSY (HR, b = -12.44, CI 95% = -17.15, -7.73; perceived stress b = -3.69, CI 95% = -4.29, -3.08). Higher levels of expectancies, compared to lower levels, related to stronger decreases in HR and perceived stress, particularly after TSY. Overall, participants rated the B2R usability as high; virtually all participants reported that "most would learn to use the app quickly," and 76.6% reported that they would use it frequently.
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BACKGROUND: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) has been widely used in bariatric surgery samples. However, questions remain regarding its utility when predicting changes in body mass index over time following bariatric surgery. OBJECTIVES: Examine whether MMPI-2-RF scales differentially predict 12-month changes in body mass index (BMI) following bariatric surgery when comparing patients with Class III or higher versus Class II or lower obesity. SETTING: Military hospital in the Northwestern United States. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated data from 193 bariatric surgery patients who completed the MMPI-2-RF as part of presurgical evaluation requirements. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to predict body mass index over a 12-month postsurgical period based on MMPI-2-RF scales. Loss to follow-up rate was 30% during this period. RESULTS: Among patients with Class II or lower obesity, the Symptom Validity, Adjustment Validity, Response Bias, Cynicism, Aggression, Stress/Worry, and Anger Proneness scales showed a significant relationship to BMI after bariatric surgery. Among patients with Class III or higher obesity, the Infrequent Psychopathology Responses, Emotional / Internalizing Dysfunction, Ideas of Persecution, Multiple Specific Fears, and Inefficacy scales showed a significant relationship to body mass index after bariatric surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Certain MMPI-2-RF scales may have better utility in predicting bariatric surgery outcomes based on the patient's obesity severity. The interaction of metabolic and personality factors may play a significant role in weight change following bariatric surgery.
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Cirugía Bariátrica , Trastornos Mentales , Obesidad Mórbida , Humanos , MMPI , Estudios Retrospectivos , Obesidad Mórbida/psicología , Trastornos Mentales/diagnóstico , Obesidad , Cirugía Bariátrica/psicología , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The use of psychological screening instruments prior to bariatric surgery has been well established. However, there is currently no specific literature on psychological screening of candidates for reoperative bariatric surgery. METHODS: This study evaluated archival data for 40 women who were candidates for reoperative bariatric surgery and completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF). Profile analysis examined differences between patient groups who did and did not undergo reoperative surgery. MMPI-2-RF profiles for reoperative patients then were compared to previous samples of preoperative and postoperative patients. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to predict BMI following reoperative surgery over a 12-month period based on MMPI-2-RF scales while controlling for age and initial BMI. RESULTS: Profile analysis results showed no significant differences on MMPI-2-RF scale scores between reoperative candidates who did and did not undergo a second surgery. With some minor differences attributed to minimization of symptoms, there were no systematic differences in MMPI-2-RF scale scores for reoperative surgery patients compared to preoperative and postoperative patient groups. BMI outcomes over a 12-month period showed that age and initial BMI were significantly better predictors than MMPI-2-RF scores. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of MMPI-2-RF for reoperative bariatric surgery patients likely is equivalent to its typical use in preoperative screening. Only the MMPI-2-RF Disconstraint scale showed any relationship to BMI outcomes over time following reoperative surgery.
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Cirugía Bariátrica , Obesidad Mórbida , Humanos , Femenino , Obesidad Mórbida/cirugía , Cirugía Bariátrica/psicología , MMPI , Reoperación , Índice de Masa Corporal , Reproducibilidad de los ResultadosRESUMEN
Military chaplains and mental health clinicians have unique professional roles and functions within the Department of Defense. However, they also have intersecting roles in delivering care to service members with mental health issues. Although diagnosis and treatment of clinical disorders is the primary focus of mental health clinicians, military chaplains are often the first contact made by service members seeking help for mental health concerns, due in part to issues of greater accessibility, ensured confidentiality, and less stigma. There is growing recognition of the importance of spirituality in the well-being and readiness of service members, as many mental health issues have a spiritual dimension. As a result, chaplains and mental health clinicians often address many of the same issues, albeit with different approaches. This review examines overlap in the work of chaplains and mental health clinicians and contrasts their complementary treatment approaches. These overlapping issues and complementary approaches highlight the potential for greater collaboration between these two professional groups, which could be beneficial for the care of service members. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Personal Militar , Terapias Espirituales , Humanos , Personal Militar/psicología , Salud Mental , Clero/psicología , EspiritualidadRESUMEN
Enlisted behavioral health technicians (BHTs) in the military provide behavioral health care to service members worldwide under the supervision of licensed providers. Given their paraprofessional role, BHTs serve in close social and personal proximity to their patient population and may be at risk for engaging in multiple relationships. In order to guide supervision of BHTs, a framework should be leveraged that examines power differentials, the duration of treatment, the nature of termination, the compatibility of multiple roles, supervisor consultation, and informed consent. Several illustrative scenarios are provided to demonstrate the utilization of this model in a manner that is sensitive to the unique nature of BHTs serving in the military cultural setting. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Personal Militar , HumanosRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are common conditions among military service members, with high rates of comorbidity. Although cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has been established as an effective treatment for insomnia, it is unclear whether or not CBT-I is effective among service members with comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, observational study examined insomnia outcomes among a group of service member patients (N = 73) with comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. All patients received individual CBT-I in a specialty sleep clinic at a military treatment facility. Seven outcomes associated with insomnia were evaluated before and after treatment. RESULTS: On average, patients showed significant improvement in sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, and symptoms reported on the Insomnia Severity Index. Twenty-six percent of patients showed clinically significant improvement in reported insomnia symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CBT-I may be effective in treating military service members with comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea. Despite the limitations of data collected in a clinical setting, consistent findings across five of the seven outcome measures provide good evidence that this treatment can be implemented in military settings.
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Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual , Personal Militar , Apnea Obstructiva del Sueño , Trastornos del Inicio y del Mantenimiento del Sueño , Humanos , Trastornos del Inicio y del Mantenimiento del Sueño/epidemiología , Trastornos del Inicio y del Mantenimiento del Sueño/terapia , Estudios Retrospectivos , Apnea Obstructiva del Sueño/complicaciones , Apnea Obstructiva del Sueño/epidemiología , Apnea Obstructiva del Sueño/terapia , Terapia Cognitivo-Conductual/métodos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Mental health stigma is one of the most frequently reported barriers to mental health help-seeking in the military. Previous research has identified that stigma-increasing language in the United States military policies was a potential deterrent to treatment-seeking. In response to a 2016 Government Accountability Office report recommendation, the current study conducted a comprehensive review of Department of Defense and military service-specific policies to identify stigmatizing language provisions and recommend appropriate language changes. METHODS: This review of policies comprised three sequential phases. First, a key-term search strategy was conducted on mental health (Phase 1) and substance misuse policies (Phase 2) to identify language that may contribute to stigma. Recommended language changes were identified, and the results of each phase were briefed to service-level Directors of Psychological Health. Approximately three years after initial identification, all mental health policies from Phase 1 for which language change recommendations had been made were examined to determine whether or not recommended changes had been incorporated (Phase 3). RESULTS: Out of 285 mental health and substance misuse policies, 191 (67%) contained potentially stigmatizing language. Subsequent review of implementation showed that partial or full recommended language changes had been made in 58.9% of 129 mental health-related policies that had been re-issued. CONCLUSIONS: This collaborative effort to identify and modify potentially stigmatizing language contributed to a substantial reduction in problematic policies across the military services. Future efforts should focus on reviewing new and re-issued policies to ensure that stigma-increasing language is not present as part of routine issuance. These efforts are part of ongoing work to address the association that language and terminology have on stigma and barriers to care.
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Trastornos Mentales , Personal Militar , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Salud Mental , Trastornos Mentales/terapia , Trastornos Mentales/psicología , Personal Militar/psicología , Estudios Longitudinales , Estigma Social , Política de Salud , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/terapiaRESUMEN
Although military sexual trauma (MST) is associated with an increased risk of suicide, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideation among service members and veterans, there is limited knowledge regarding the mechanisms of MST and suicidality among men. The current study examined whether MST was associated with sexual compulsivity and/or erectile dysfunction and if these, in turn, explained elevated suicidal thoughts and the likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior after accounting for mental health, military, and demographic characteristics. Service members and veterans who reported their gender as male (N = 508) were recruited via social media and completed online self-report measures assessing MST, erectile dysfunction, sexual compulsivity, suicidal ideation frequency, and the likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. Path analysis was used to examine the study hypotheses. In total, 67 participants (13.2%) reported a history of MST; of these individuals, 27 (40.3%) reported suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, and 29 (43.9%) reported an increased likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. MST was associated with increased sexual compulsivity, which, in turn, predicted more frequent suicidal ideation as well as a higher self-reported likelihood of engaging in future suicidal behavior. MST was associated with higher levels of erectile dysfunction, but erectile dysfunction was not associated with suicidal ideation in the adjusted model. Although the data were cross-sectional, precluding determinations of causality, the results support assessing and intervening with regard to sexual compulsivity to mitigate the risk for suicide-related outcomes among men who experience MST.
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Personal Militar , Delitos Sexuales , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático , Suicidio , Veteranos , Humanos , Masculino , Ideación Suicida , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/psicología , Personal Militar/psicología , Delitos Sexuales/psicología , Veteranos/psicología , Sobrevivientes/psicología , Factores de RiesgoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Psychological factors identified during presurgical screening have the potential to identify which patients may respond better to bariatric surgery, and which patients may need additional assistance. Previous research has validated a number of potential instruments for use in presurgical screening. METHOD: This study evaluated archival data for 224 patients for a 60-month period following bariatric surgery to examine how presurgical scores on the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic predict body mass index (BMI) over time. Follow-up data was available on 96% of these patients at 12 months and 63% of these patients at 60 months. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to predict BMI based on demographic and psychopathology factors using linear and nonlinear coefficients while controlling for demographic factors and initial BMI. RESULTS: Results overall showed that demographic factors and initial BMI were significantly better predictors of BMI outcomes following bariatric surgery. Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic scales did not significantly contribute to any models predicting outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic has been recommended for presurgical screening prior to bariatric surgery, the current findings suggest that this measure and its specific scales do not predict BMI outcomes following bariatric surgery over time.
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Cirugía Bariátrica , Medicina de la Conducta , Obesidad Mórbida , Cirugía Bariátrica/psicología , Índice de Masa Corporal , Humanos , Obesidad Mórbida/cirugía , Pérdida de PesoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Notwithstanding the efficacy of bariatric surgery in reducing the negative sequelae of obesity, psychological factors may play a significant role in long-term weight maintenance following surgery. Previous research on these factors has shown mixed outcomes, indicating the need for further study in samples undergoing bariatric surgery. METHOD: This study evaluated archival data for 194 patients from a single-payer system for a 60-month period following bariatric surgery to examine how presurgical scores on the Personality Assessment Inventory predict body mass index (BMI) over time. Follow-up data was available on 97% of these patients at 12 months and 62% of these patients at 60 months. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to predict BMI based on demographic and psychopathology factors using linear and nonlinear coefficients while controlling for initial BMI. RESULTS: Results showed that Personality Assessment Inventory scales assessing anxiety-related disorders, mania, and alcohol problems showed a relationship to BMI outcomes over time. Contrary to expectations, moderate elevations on anxiety-related disorders and mania were associated with a greater initial linear trend for BMI decrease, with a steeper slope for weight regain after approximately 3 years. Patients endorsing any scores above the minimum on the alcohol problems scale showed poorer BMI outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends previous research on psychological factors and weight outcomes over time among patients undergoing bariatric surgery. In contrast to a focus on clinical elevations when using broadband measures of psychopathology, these results suggest a more nuanced pattern of weight loss and subsequent regain associated with certain subclinical elevations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Cirugía Bariátrica , Obesidad Mórbida , Índice de Masa Corporal , Humanos , Obesidad Mórbida/cirugía , Determinación de la Personalidad , Resultado del Tratamiento , Pérdida de PesoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Research on effectiveness of preoperative psychological measures as predictors of weight loss success and weight regain following bariatric surgery has been inconsistent. Despite mixed findings, preoperative psychological assessment instruments are used routinely, including in military medical facilities. Health concerns associated with obesity potentially impact military family readiness, with accompanying utilization of medical resources. Examining psychological factors associated with successful bariatric surgery outcomes may help to optimize care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, observational study sought to identify characteristic elevations on two recommended preoperative psychological assessment instruments for bariatric surgery candidates: the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) and the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD). Additionally, profile analysis was performed on assessment scales based on groupings of whether or not patients (N = 194) met their ideal BMI over a 60-month period. The Institutional Review Board at Madigan Army Medical Center approved this study protocol. RESULTS: Means and standard deviations for PAI and the MBMD are presented for this sample of benefits-eligible patients in the military health system. Measures between bariatric outcome groups were not significantly different, but characteristic elevations for bariatric surgery candidates overall were identified. CONCLUSION: The average elevations of scales were not above clinical cutoff, but still indicate characteristic trends in patients undergoing surgery at an MTF. These scales may be important to attend to with bariatric surgery candidates, especially scales which are related to psychopathology, treatment prognosis, and treatment management. Study results about scale elevations on preoperative psychological assessment instruments may help patients better manage bariatric surgery and can lead to enhanced warfighter readiness and decreased utilization of healthcare resources. Future work should examine postoperative behavioral and psychological factors, as the adjustment to lifestyle limitations of bariatric surgery is substantial.
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Cirugía Bariátrica , Humanos , Obesidad/cirugía , Determinación de la Personalidad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Pérdida de PesoRESUMEN
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: US Navy suicide is an ongoing concern, with more than half of suicide deaths each year related to firearms. Although decreasing firearms access by those who are at risk for suicide has been well-established as a tactic for reducing risk, implementation of firearms restrictions has a significant cultural and occupational impact among service members that may increase the stigma of seeking mental health care. During a recent Deep Dive review of all previous year suicide deaths, subject matter experts from across the US Navy identified significant variability in command utilization of firearms restriction. METHODOLOGY: Based on this finding, a review was conducted to identify best practice for firearms restriction related to suicide risk across the US military services and municipal police departments. FINDINGS: Findings from this review suggested that the Department of the Navy may benefit from adopting consistent standards for disarming and rearming service members at risk for suicide, base decisions on objective suicide risk rather than routine stressors, decrease access primarily when service members are off duty, and engage with service members to decrease core drivers of suicide behavior through command channels. IMPLICATIONS: Implementing these recommendations may be a crucial step in balancing precautions to decrease suicide risk with the stigma of firearms restriction in military settings.
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Suicides by firearm have increased over the past decade among United States service members and veterans. As firearm access is a suicide risk factor, firearm-related lethal means safety is critical to suicide prevention. However, identity, occupational, and cultural barriers may deter efforts to promote lethal means safety with service members and veterans. The current manuscript describes a collaborative framework to guide mental health providers' in conducting firearm-related lethal means safety with service members and veterans, including within the context of Safety Planning. In approaching firearm lethal means safety conversations with patients, clinicians must work to overcome their own reticence, address patient concerns directly, and remain culturally sensitive to the values of the military and veteran communities. This approach is illustrated using case vignettes that encompass addressing firearm-related lethal means safety with service members and veterans.
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Online outreach campaigns are a potential public health method for reaching service members at risk for suicide. The Real Warriors Campaign website underwent a full redesign in 2019 to enhance its ability to provide crisis resources and increase engagement by adopting a mobile-first strategy and implementing a responsive framework, meaning the site renders properly on all devices, including desktop, tablets, and mobile. Usability testing with end-user service members led to several innovations on the website, including a one-click banner that directly linked users on their mobile phones to crisis resources, the redesign of menus and content to better display on mobile devices, and promoting use of website resources through gateway topics. Comparing the 6 months before and after the mobile redesign showed significant increases in new mobile users, pages viewed on mobile devices, and new users coming to the site through social media. There was also a significant increase in specific help-seeking actions by users, including use of referral links and live chat, as well as 200 individuals accessing crisis phone lines through new one-click dialing banners. Suicide prevention campaigns should continue to optimize their online presence to reach groups at risk. This study of the website redesign from the Real Warriors Campaign illustrates several best practices in digital outreach as applied to suicide prevention, including leveraging usability testing, synching outreach material with social media, and ensuring mobile compatibility.
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Teléfono Celular , Medios de Comunicación Sociales , Prevención del Suicidio , Humanos , Salud Pública , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The utilization of intensive outpatient programs for the treatment of military-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased through initiatives both inside and outside the military health care system. However, research in veteran populations suggest that patients concurrently undergoing disability evaluation may not respond well to such interventions. This study evaluates the relationship between disability separation and endorsement of PTSD symptoms during treatment at an intensive outpatient program. METHODS: Patients in this retrospective study were 81 service members enrolled in a half-day, 6-week intensive outpatient program for PTSD. Sixty-seven percent (n = 54) were concurrently enrolled in the integrated disability evaluation system and were pending medical separation. Fifty-two percent (n = 42) also received a 4-week skills training intervention before beginning PTSD treatment. Patients completed the PTSD Checklist before, during, and after the treatment program as an index of PTSD symptoms. RESULTS: A significant interaction effect was observed in which PTSD symptoms throughout program enrollment differed as a function of enrollment in the integrated disability evaluation system. Patients undergoing disability evaluations did not show significant changes in endorsed PTSD symptoms during program enrollment, whereas significant decreases in PTSD symptoms were observed in patients not undergoing disability evaluations. These effects controlled for lost treatment days as a result of training or other appointments. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide preliminary data indicating that participation in disability separation may attenuate the effect of PTSD treatment and endorsement of PTSD symptoms in an intensive outpatient setting.
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Personal Militar , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático , Veteranos , Humanos , Pacientes Ambulatorios , Estudios Retrospectivos , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/terapiaRESUMEN
The aims of this study were to (a) evaluate undergraduate men's (N = 108) judgments of the effectiveness of women's responses to increasingly coercive sexual victimization risk and nonsexual social situations and (b) examine whether individual difference factors (e.g., perceptions of attractiveness, rape empathy) influenced these judgments. As part of a larger study, undergraduate women were video recorded responding to a series of vignettes depicting increasingly coercive sexual and nonsexual social situations. Undergraduate men then rated the effectiveness of these responses in either decreasing risk for sexual victimization (for the sexual victimization risk situations) or increasing the likelihood of achieving a social goal (for the nonsexual social situations), as well as each woman's physical attractiveness. Multilevel modeling results revealed that both situational-level (i.e., level of coercion) and individual-level factors (i.e., rape empathy, perceived attractiveness of the women, and rape myth acceptance) were associated with men's judgments of the effectiveness of women's responses in sexually risky situations. Specifically, responses were rated as less effective in decreasing victimization risk as the level of coercion increased, and men who reported lower rape empathy, lower perceived attractiveness of the woman, and higher rape myth acceptance judged women's responses as less effective than men who reported higher rape empathy, higher perceived attractiveness, and lower rape myth acceptance. Attractiveness was the only significant predictor of men's judgments of women's responses to nonsexual situations, with more attractive women being perceived as more effective. The findings of the current study highlight the importance of understanding the interaction between individual difference variables and situational features in understanding men's judgments of women's responses.