A 12-Month prospective study of the effects of PTSD-depression comorbidity on suicidal behavior in Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans

Psychiatry Res. 2016 Sep 30:243:97-9. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.06.011. Epub 2016 Jun 16.

Abstract

The present study used validated clinical interviews to assess the effect of comorbid PTSD-depression on suicidal behavior over the course of 12 months in 309 Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans. Logistic regression models demonstrated that comorbid PTSD-depression was a statistically significant predictor of suicide attempts at the 12-month follow-up in both the total sample and in the subset of veterans with PTSD/depression (n=98). In contrast, gender, age, race, sexual orientation, and baseline history of suicide attempts did not have significant effects. These findings suggest that comorbid PTSD-depression may be a significant risk factor for future suicidal behavior in veterans.

Keywords: Depression; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Suicide attempts.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Afghan Campaign 2001-
  • Afghanistan
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Depression / complications*
  • Depression / psychology
  • Depressive Disorder / complications*
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Iraq
  • Iraq War, 2003-2011
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / complications*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology
  • Suicidal Ideation*
  • Suicide, Attempted / psychology*
  • Veterans / psychology*
  • Young Adult