Making the Case for Primary Care and Mandated Suicide Prevention Education

During its 2012 legislative session, Washington State passed ESHB 2366, otherwise known as the Matt Adler Suicide Assessment, Treatment, and Management Act of 2012. ESHB 2366 is a significant legislative achievement as it is the first law in the country to require certain health professionals to obtain continuing education in the assessment, treatment, and management of suicide risk as a requirement to obtain and maintain licensure. However, ESHB 2366 does not apply to primary care providers, an important next step for legislation that has as its goal “to help lower the suicide rate in Washington.” This commentary addresses objections raised against the law and potential responses as Washington considers strengthening its own law to include primary care providers and as other states consider similar legislation.     

Factors Associated with Achieving Complete Mental Health among Individuals with Lifetime Suicidal Ideation

The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with complete mental health among Canadians who had ever seriously considered suicide. Data for this study were obtained from Statistics Canada's 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health (N = 2,844). The outcome variable examined in this study was complete mental health and was analyzed using binary logistic regression. Of the 2,844 respondents with lifetime suicidal ideation, 1,088 (38.2%) had complete mental health (i.e., had flourishing mental health, no mental illness, and no suicidal ideation in the past 12 months). Those who had a confidant were seven times more likely to have complete mental health. Other factors associated with achieving complete mental health among formerly suicidal respondents include being older, being a woman, having higher income, use of religious coping, and never previously having a mental illness. Considering the importance of these protective factors in formulating public health policies will allow for a more wide‐reaching approach to suicide prevention.     

The Role of Social Connectedness and Sexual Orientation in the Prevention of Youth Suicide Ideation and Attempts Among Sexually Active Adolescents

The impact of types of social connectedness—family, other adult, and school—on suicide ideation and attempts among all youth, the relative impact of each type, and effect modification by sexual orientation was assessed. Data were from the 2007–2009 Milwaukee Youth Risk Behavior Surveys. Multivariable logistic regression analyses calculated the risk of suicide ideation and attempts by sexual orientation, types of social connectedness, and their interaction. Among all youth, each type of connectedness modeled singly conferred protective effects for suicide ideation. Family and other adult connectedness protected against suicide attempts. When modeled simultaneously, family connectedness protected against ideation and attempts. Sexual orientation modified the association between other adult connectedness and suicide ideation. Findings suggest that family connectedness confers the most consistent protection among all youth and sexual orientation does not generally modify the association between connectedness and suicidal behavior.     

Suicidality Among Chronically Homeless People with Alcohol Problems Attenuates Following Exposure to Housing First

This study is the first to document suicidality among chronically homeless people with alcohol problems (N = 134) and examine its trajectory following exposure to immediate, permanent, low‐barrier housing (i.e., Housing First). Suicidal ideation, intent, plans, and prior attempts were assessed at baseline and during a 2‐year follow‐up. Baseline suicidal ideation was over four times higher than in the general population. Two‐year, within‐subjects, longitudinal analyses indicated severity of suicidal ideation decreased by 43% from baseline to follow‐up. Significant decreases were also found for intent and clinical significance of ideation. No participants died by suicide during the 2‐year follow‐up.     

Factors Associated with Suicidality Among a National Sample of Transgender Veterans

Correlates of past‐year suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide risk among a national sample of transgender veterans were examined. An online, convenience sample of 212 U.S. transgender veterans participated in a cross‐sectional survey in February–May 2014. We evaluated associations between sociodemographic characteristics, stigma, mental health, and psychosocial resources with past‐year suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide plans and attempts. Participants reported high rates of past‐year suicidal ideation (57%) as well as history of suicide plan or attempt (66%). Transgender‐related felt stigma during military service and current posttraumatic stress disorder and depressive symptoms were associated with suicide outcomes as were economic and demographic factors.     

A Cross‐National Comparison of Suicide Attempts,Drug Use,and Depressed Mood Among Dominican Youth

We compared suicide attempts, depressed mood, and drug use of 1,710 Dominican public high school students in New York City (NYC) and 9,573 in the Dominican Republic (DR) in 2009. Compared to DR Dominicans, NYC Dominicans were more likely to have reported lifetime marijuana use (27.6% vs. 1.5%), lifetime inhalant use (11.0% vs. 7.6%), lifetime other drug use (9.9% vs. 3.0%), depressed mood (31.3% vs. 27.2%), and suicide attempt (13.8% vs. 8.8%). The results of this study supported the hypothesis that substantial increases in illicit drug use, especially cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and methamphetamines, among NYC Dominican youth account for their increased risk for suicide attempts compared to their DR Dominican counterparts. It also identified suicide attempts as a public health problem among NYC Dominicans, the largest NYC Latino immigrant population.     

Systematic Review of the Impact of Suicides and Other Critical Incidents on Railway Personnel

The review summarizes current scientific knowledge on the effects of railway critical incidents on railway workers and the associated risk and protective factors. Diagnosable traumatic reactions sometimes occur after a serious incident. However, the most frequent effects are long‐term impairments that do not meet diagnostic criteria but can still profoundly affect people's lives. Risk factors that can increase the negative effects of incidents include characteristics of the employee, coping mechanisms, the type of incident, and the support and care received. Prevention and intervention programs should consider the diversity of reactions to develop relevant support programs.     

The Moderating Effect of the Negative Impact of Recent Life Events on the Relation between Intrinsic Religiosity and Death Ideation in Older Adults

Researchers tested the hypothesis that the negative impact of recent life events would moderate the relationship between intrinsic religiosity and death ideation in older adults. Participants (n = 272) completed assessments of death ideation, intrinsic religiosity, and negative impact of recent life events. We confirmed the presence of concurrent moderation and found that older adults with greater negative impact of recent life events and high intrinsic religiosity reported greater death ideation. These relatively surprising findings may be due to reduced fear of death in intrinsically religious older adults, an explanation consistent with previous research.