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Mega-analysis of association between obesity and cortical morphology in bipolar disorders: ENIGMA study in 2832 participants
- Sean R. McWhinney, Christoph Abé, Martin Alda, Francesco Benedetti, Erlend Bøen, Caterina del Mar Bonnin, Tiana Borgers, Katharina Brosch, Erick J. Canales-Rodríguez, Dara M. Cannon, Udo Dannlowski, Ana M. Diaz-Zuluaga, Lorielle M.F. Dietze, Torbjørn Elvsåshagen, Lisa T. Eyler, Janice M. Fullerton, Jose M. Goikolea, Janik Goltermann, Dominik Grotegerd, Bartholomeus C. M. Haarman, Tim Hahn, Fleur M. Howells, Martin Ingvar, Neda Jahanshad, Tilo T. J. Kircher, Axel Krug, Rayus T. Kuplicki, Mikael Landén, Hannah Lemke, Benny Liberg, Carlos Lopez-Jaramillo, Ulrik F. Malt, Fiona M. Martyn, Elena Mazza, Colm McDonald, Genevieve McPhilemy, Sandra Meier, Susanne Meinert, Tina Meller, Elisa M. T. Melloni, Philip B. Mitchell, Leila Nabulsi, Igor Nenadic, Nils Opel, Roel A. Ophoff, Bronwyn J. Overs, Julia-Katharina Pfarr, Julian A. Pineda-Zapata, Edith Pomarol-Clotet, Joaquim Raduà, Jonathan Repple, Maike Richter, Kai G. Ringwald, Gloria Roberts, Alex Ross, Raymond Salvador, Jonathan Savitz, Simon Schmitt, Peter R. Schofield, Kang Sim, Dan J. Stein, Frederike Stein, Henk S. Temmingh, Katharina Thiel, Sophia I. Thomopoulos, Neeltje E. M. van Haren, Cristian Vargas, Eduard Vieta, Annabel Vreeker, Lena Waltemate, Lakshmi N. Yatham, Christopher R. K. Ching, Ole A. Andreassen, Paul M. Thompson, Tomas Hajek, for the ENIGMA Bipolar Disorder Working Group
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 53 / Issue 14 / October 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 27 February 2023, pp. 6743-6753
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Background:
Obesity is highly prevalent and disabling, especially in individuals with severe mental illness including bipolar disorders (BD). The brain is a target organ for both obesity and BD. Yet, we do not understand how cortical brain alterations in BD and obesity interact.
Methods:We obtained body mass index (BMI) and MRI-derived regional cortical thickness, surface area from 1231 BD and 1601 control individuals from 13 countries within the ENIGMA-BD Working Group. We jointly modeled the statistical effects of BD and BMI on brain structure using mixed effects and tested for interaction and mediation. We also investigated the impact of medications on the BMI-related associations.
Results:BMI and BD additively impacted the structure of many of the same brain regions. Both BMI and BD were negatively associated with cortical thickness, but not surface area. In most regions the number of jointly used psychiatric medication classes remained associated with lower cortical thickness when controlling for BMI. In a single region, fusiform gyrus, about a third of the negative association between number of jointly used psychiatric medications and cortical thickness was mediated by association between the number of medications and higher BMI.
Conclusions:We confirmed consistent associations between higher BMI and lower cortical thickness, but not surface area, across the cerebral mantle, in regions which were also associated with BD. Higher BMI in people with BD indicated more pronounced brain alterations. BMI is important for understanding the neuroanatomical changes in BD and the effects of psychiatric medications on the brain.
Characterisation of age and polarity at onset in bipolar disorder
- Janos L. Kalman, Loes M. Olde Loohuis, Annabel Vreeker, Andrew McQuillin, Eli A. Stahl, Douglas Ruderfer, Maria Grigoroiu-Serbanescu, Georgia Panagiotaropoulou, Stephan Ripke, Tim B. Bigdeli, Frederike Stein, Tina Meller, Susanne Meinert, Helena Pelin, Fabian Streit, Sergi Papiol, Mark J. Adams, Rolf Adolfsson, Kristina Adorjan, Ingrid Agartz, Sofie R. Aminoff, Heike Anderson-Schmidt, Ole A. Andreassen, Raffaella Ardau, Jean-Michel Aubry, Ceylan Balaban, Nicholas Bass, Bernhard T. Baune, Frank Bellivier, Antoni Benabarre, Susanne Bengesser, Wade H Berrettini, Marco P. Boks, Evelyn J. Bromet, Katharina Brosch, Monika Budde, William Byerley, Pablo Cervantes, Catina Chillotti, Sven Cichon, Scott R. Clark, Ashley L. Comes, Aiden Corvin, William Coryell, Nick Craddock, David W. Craig, Paul E. Croarkin, Cristiana Cruceanu, Piotr M. Czerski, Nina Dalkner, Udo Dannlowski, Franziska Degenhardt, Maria Del Zompo, J. Raymond DePaulo, Srdjan Djurovic, Howard J. Edenberg, Mariam Al Eissa, Torbjørn Elvsåshagen, Bruno Etain, Ayman H. Fanous, Frederike Fellendorf, Alessia Fiorentino, Andreas J. Forstner, Mark A. Frye, Janice M. Fullerton, Katrin Gade, Julie Garnham, Elliot Gershon, Michael Gill, Fernando S. Goes, Katherine Gordon-Smith, Paul Grof, Jose Guzman-Parra, Tim Hahn, Roland Hasler, Maria Heilbronner, Urs Heilbronner, Stephane Jamain, Esther Jimenez, Ian Jones, Lisa Jones, Lina Jonsson, Rene S. Kahn, John R. Kelsoe, James L. Kennedy, Tilo Kircher, George Kirov, Sarah Kittel-Schneider, Farah Klöhn-Saghatolislam, James A. Knowles, Thorsten M. Kranz, Trine Vik Lagerberg, Mikael Landen, William B. Lawson, Marion Leboyer, Qingqin S. Li, Mario Maj, Dolores Malaspina, Mirko Manchia, Fermin Mayoral, Susan L. McElroy, Melvin G. McInnis, Andrew M. McIntosh, Helena Medeiros, Ingrid Melle, Vihra Milanova, Philip B. Mitchell, Palmiero Monteleone, Alessio Maria Monteleone, Markus M. Nöthen, Tomas Novak, John I. Nurnberger, Niamh O'Brien, Kevin S. O'Connell, Claire O'Donovan, Michael C. O'Donovan, Nils Opel, Abigail Ortiz, Michael J. Owen, Erik Pålsson, Carlos Pato, Michele T. Pato, Joanna Pawlak, Julia-Katharina Pfarr, Claudia Pisanu, James B. Potash, Mark H Rapaport, Daniela Reich-Erkelenz, Andreas Reif, Eva Reininghaus, Jonathan Repple, Hélène Richard-Lepouriel, Marcella Rietschel, Kai Ringwald, Gloria Roberts, Guy Rouleau, Sabrina Schaupp, William A Scheftner, Simon Schmitt, Peter R. Schofield, K. Oliver Schubert, Eva C. Schulte, Barbara Schweizer, Fanny Senner, Giovanni Severino, Sally Sharp, Claire Slaney, Olav B. Smeland, Janet L. Sobell, Alessio Squassina, Pavla Stopkova, John Strauss, Alfonso Tortorella, Gustavo Turecki, Joanna Twarowska-Hauser, Marin Veldic, Eduard Vieta, John B. Vincent, Wei Xu, Clement C. Zai, Peter P. Zandi, Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) Bipolar Disorder Working Group, International Consortium on Lithium Genetics (ConLiGen), Colombia-US Cross Disorder Collaboration in Psychiatric Genetics, Arianna Di Florio, Jordan W. Smoller, Joanna M. Biernacka, Francis J. McMahon, Martin Alda, Bertram Müller-Myhsok, Nikolaos Koutsouleris, Peter Falkai, Nelson B. Freimer, Till F.M. Andlauer, Thomas G. Schulze, Roel A. Ophoff
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- Journal:
- The British Journal of Psychiatry / Volume 219 / Issue 6 / December 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 25 August 2021, pp. 659-669
- Print publication:
- December 2021
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Background
Studying phenotypic and genetic characteristics of age at onset (AAO) and polarity at onset (PAO) in bipolar disorder can provide new insights into disease pathology and facilitate the development of screening tools.
AimsTo examine the genetic architecture of AAO and PAO and their association with bipolar disorder disease characteristics.
MethodGenome-wide association studies (GWASs) and polygenic score (PGS) analyses of AAO (n = 12 977) and PAO (n = 6773) were conducted in patients with bipolar disorder from 34 cohorts and a replication sample (n = 2237). The association of onset with disease characteristics was investigated in two of these cohorts.
ResultsEarlier AAO was associated with a higher probability of psychotic symptoms, suicidality, lower educational attainment, not living together and fewer episodes. Depressive onset correlated with suicidality and manic onset correlated with delusions and manic episodes. Systematic differences in AAO between cohorts and continents of origin were observed. This was also reflected in single-nucleotide variant-based heritability estimates, with higher heritabilities for stricter onset definitions. Increased PGS for autism spectrum disorder (β = −0.34 years, s.e. = 0.08), major depression (β = −0.34 years, s.e. = 0.08), schizophrenia (β = −0.39 years, s.e. = 0.08), and educational attainment (β = −0.31 years, s.e. = 0.08) were associated with an earlier AAO. The AAO GWAS identified one significant locus, but this finding did not replicate. Neither GWAS nor PGS analyses yielded significant associations with PAO.
ConclusionsAAO and PAO are associated with indicators of bipolar disorder severity. Individuals with an earlier onset show an increased polygenic liability for a broad spectrum of psychiatric traits. Systematic differences in AAO across cohorts, continents and phenotype definitions introduce significant heterogeneity, affecting analyses.
The prevalence of mental health problems in sub-Saharan adolescents living with HIV: a systematic review
- A.S. Dessauvagie, A. Jörns-Presentati, A.-K. Napp, D.J. Stein, D. Jonker, E. Breet, W. Charles, R. L. Swart, M. Lahti, S. Suliman, R. Jansen, L.L. van den Heuvel, S. Seedat, G. Groen
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- Journal:
- Global Mental Health / Volume 7 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 26 October 2020, e29
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Despite the progress made in HIV treatment and prevention, HIV remains a major cause of adolescent morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. As perinatally infected children increasingly survive into adulthood, the quality of life and mental health of this population has increased in importance. This review provides a synthesis of the prevalence of mental health problems in this population and explores associated factors. A systematic database search (Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus) with an additional hand search was conducted. Peer-reviewed studies on adolescents (aged 10–19), published between 2008 and 2019, assessing mental health symptoms or psychiatric disorders, either by standardized questionnaires or by diagnostic interviews, were included. The search identified 1461 articles, of which 301 were eligible for full-text analysis. Fourteen of these, concerning HIV-positive adolescents, met the inclusion criteria and were critically appraised. Mental health problems were highly prevalent among this group, with around 25% scoring positive for any psychiatric disorder and 30–50% showing emotional or behavioral difficulties or significant psychological distress. Associated factors found by regression analysis were older age, not being in school, impaired family functioning, HIV-related stigma and bullying, and poverty. Social support and parental competence were protective factors. Mental health problems among HIV-positive adolescents are highly prevalent and should be addressed as part of regular HIV care.
Comorbidity within mental disorders: a comprehensive analysis based on 145 990 survey respondents from 27 countries
- J. J. McGrath, C. C. W. Lim, O. Plana-Ripoll, Y. Holtz, E. Agerbo, N. C. Momen, P. B. Mortensen, C. B. Pedersen, J. Abdulmalik, S. Aguilar-Gaxiola, A. Al-Hamzawi, J. Alonso, E. J. Bromet, R. Bruffaerts, B. Bunting, J. M. C. de Almeida, G. de Girolamo, Y. A. De Vries, S. Florescu, O. Gureje, J. M. Haro, M. G. Harris, C. Hu, E. G. Karam, N. Kawakami, A. Kiejna, V. Kovess-Masfety, S. Lee, Z. Mneimneh, F. Navarro-Mateu, R. Orozco, J. Posada-Villa, A. M. Roest, S. Saha, K. M. Scott, J. C. Stagnaro, D. J. Stein, Y. Torres, M. C. Viana, Y. Ziv, R. C. Kessler, P. de Jonge
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- Journal:
- Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences / Volume 29 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 12 August 2020, e153
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Aims
Epidemiological studies indicate that individuals with one type of mental disorder have an increased risk of subsequently developing other types of mental disorders. This study aimed to undertake a comprehensive analysis of pair-wise lifetime comorbidity across a range of common mental disorders based on a diverse range of population-based surveys.
MethodsThe WHO World Mental Health (WMH) surveys assessed 145 990 adult respondents from 27 countries. Based on retrospectively-reported age-of-onset for 24 DSM-IV mental disorders, associations were examined between all 548 logically possible temporally-ordered disorder pairs. Overall and time-dependent hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. Absolute risks were estimated using the product-limit method. Estimates were generated separately for men and women.
ResultsEach prior lifetime mental disorder was associated with an increased risk of subsequent first onset of each other disorder. The median HR was 12.1 (mean = 14.4; range 5.2–110.8, interquartile range = 6.0–19.4). The HRs were most prominent between closely-related mental disorder types and in the first 1–2 years after the onset of the prior disorder. Although HRs declined with time since prior disorder, significantly elevated risk of subsequent comorbidity persisted for at least 15 years. Appreciable absolute risks of secondary disorders were found over time for many pairs.
ConclusionsSurvey data from a range of sites confirms that comorbidity between mental disorders is common. Understanding the risks of temporally secondary disorders may help design practical programs for primary prevention of secondary disorders.
Intermittent explosive disorder subtypes in the general population: association with comorbidity, impairment and suicidality
- K. M. Scott, Y. A. de Vries, S. Aguilar-Gaxiola, A. Al-Hamzawi, J. Alonso, E. J. Bromet, B. Bunting, J. M. Caldas-de-Almeida, A. Cía, S. Florescu, O. Gureje, C-Y. Hu, E. G. Karam, A. Karam, N. Kawakami, R. C. Kessler, S. Lee, J. McGrath, B. Oladeji, J. Posada-Villa, D. J. Stein, Z. Zarkov, P. de Jonge
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- Journal:
- Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences / Volume 29 / 2020
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 23 June 2020, e138
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Aims
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterised by impulsive anger attacks that vary greatly across individuals in severity and consequence. Understanding IED subtypes has been limited by lack of large, general population datasets including assessment of IED. Using the 17-country World Mental Health surveys dataset, this study examined whether behavioural subtypes of IED are associated with differing patterns of comorbidity, suicidality and functional impairment.
MethodsIED was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview in the World Mental Health surveys (n = 45 266). Five behavioural subtypes were created based on type of anger attack. Logistic regression assessed association of these subtypes with lifetime comorbidity, lifetime suicidality and 12-month functional impairment.
ResultsThe lifetime prevalence of IED in all countries was 0.8% (s.e.: 0.0). The two subtypes involving anger attacks that harmed people (‘hurt people only’ and ‘destroy property and hurt people’), collectively comprising 73% of those with IED, were characterised by high rates of externalising comorbid disorders. The remaining three subtypes involving anger attacks that destroyed property only, destroyed property and threatened people, and threatened people only, were characterised by higher rates of internalising than externalising comorbid disorders. Suicidal behaviour did not vary across the five behavioural subtypes but was higher among those with (v. those without) comorbid disorders, and among those who perpetrated more violent assaults.
ConclusionsThe most common IED behavioural subtypes in these general population samples are associated with high rates of externalising disorders. This contrasts with the findings from clinical studies of IED, which observe a preponderance of internalising disorder comorbidity. This disparity in findings across population and clinical studies, together with the marked heterogeneity that characterises the diagnostic entity of IED, suggests that it is a disorder that requires much greater research.
Cortisol plasma levels are associated with serotonin - 1A receptor binding in postmenopausal women
- G. Kranz, A. Hahn, J. Ungersböck, U. Kaufmann, P. Stein, P. Baldinger, A. Höflich, S. Zgud, M. Mitterhauser, W. Wadsak, S. Kasper, R. Lanzenberger
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 26 / Issue S2 / March 2011
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 16 April 2020, p. 933
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Introduction
Alterations of the serotonin-1A receptor (5-HT1A) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis have been reported in depression and anxiety disorders. We previously showed a strong negative correlation between cortisol plasma levels and 5-HT1A receptor binding potential (BP) in patients with social anxiety disorder but not in healthy controls using PET [1].
ObjectivesTo investigate the relationship of cortisol and the 5-HT1A BP in postmenopausal women, a population that is at increased risk of suffering from depressive symptoms.
MethodsSubjects: 19 postmenopausal women, aged 55.26 ± 4.98, medication free, no current substance abuse or hormone replacement therapy.
PETDynamic measurements (50 frames, 90 min) were performed using the radioligand [carbonyl-11C]WAY100635 and a GE-Advance scanner. PET data were normalized to a ligand-specific template [2]. Regions-of-interest (ROI) were defined as given in [3]. TACs within ROIs were averaged and the 5-HT1A receptor BP was quantified using Logan-plot and PMOD 3.1. Measurement of total cortisol plasma levels was done using electrochemoluminescence.
ResultsWe found negative correlations between cortisol and 5-HT1A BP in the midbrain (Spearman's rs = −0.54, p = 0.02), the median raphe nucleus (rs = −0.47, p = 0.04) and the nucleus accumbens (rs = −0.505, p = 0.03).
ConclusionsIn line with our previous findings [1], the observed negative association between cortisol plasma levels and 5-HT1A BP might reflect an increased vulnerability for mood disorders in postmenopausal women.
Influence of birth cohort on age of onset cluster analysis in bipolar I disorder
- M. Bauer, T. Glenn, M. Alda, O.A. Andreassen, E. Angelopoulos, R. Ardau, C. Baethge, R. Bauer, F. Bellivier, R.H. Belmaker, M. Berk, T.D. Bjella, L. Bossini, Y. Bersudsky, E.Y.W. Cheung, J. Conell, M. Del Zompo, S. Dodd, B. Etain, A. Fagiolini, M.A. Frye, K.N. Fountoulakis, J. Garneau-Fournier, A. Gonzalez-Pinto, H. Harima, S. Hassel, C. Henry, A. Iacovides, E.T. Isometsä, F. Kapczinski, S. Kliwicki, B. König, R. Krogh, M. Kunz, B. Lafer, E.R. Larsen, U. Lewitzka, C. Lopez-Jaramillo, G. MacQueen, M. Manchia, W. Marsh, M. Martinez-Cengotitabengoa, I. Melle, S. Monteith, G. Morken, R. Munoz, F.G. Nery, C. O’Donovan, Y. Osher, A. Pfennig, D. Quiroz, R. Ramesar, N. Rasgon, A. Reif, P. Ritter, J.K. Rybakowski, K. Sagduyu, A.M. Scippa, E. Severus, C. Simhandl, D.J. Stein, S. Strejilevich, A. Hatim Sulaiman, K. Suominen, H. Tagata, Y. Tatebayashi, C. Torrent, E. Vieta, B. Viswanath, M.J. Wanchoo, M. Zetin, P.C. Whybrow
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 30 / Issue 1 / January 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 15 April 2020, pp. 99-105
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Purpose:
Two common approaches to identify subgroups of patients with bipolar disorder are clustering methodology (mixture analysis) based on the age of onset, and a birth cohort analysis. This study investigates if a birth cohort effect will influence the results of clustering on the age of onset, using a large, international database.
Methods:The database includes 4037 patients with a diagnosis of bipolar I disorder, previously collected at 36 collection sites in 23 countries. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to adjust the data for country median age, and in some models, birth cohort. Model-based clustering (mixture analysis) was then performed on the age of onset data using the residuals. Clinical variables in subgroups were compared.
Results:There was a strong birth cohort effect. Without adjusting for the birth cohort, three subgroups were found by clustering. After adjusting for the birth cohort or when considering only those born after 1959, two subgroups were found. With results of either two or three subgroups, the youngest subgroup was more likely to have a family history of mood disorders and a first episode with depressed polarity. However, without adjusting for birth cohort (three subgroups), family history and polarity of the first episode could not be distinguished between the middle and oldest subgroups.
Conclusion:These results using international data confirm prior findings using single country data, that there are subgroups of bipolar I disorder based on the age of onset, and that there is a birth cohort effect. Including the birth cohort adjustment altered the number and characteristics of subgroups detected when clustering by age of onset. Further investigation is needed to determine if combining both approaches will identify subgroups that are more useful for research.
Recovery from DSM-IV post-traumatic stress disorder in the WHO World Mental Health surveys
- A. J. Rosellini, H. Liu, M. V. Petukhova, N. A. Sampson, S. Aguilar-Gaxiola, J. Alonso, G. Borges, R. Bruffaerts, E. J. Bromet, G. de Girolamo, P. de Jonge, J. Fayyad, S. Florescu, O. Gureje, J. M. Haro, H. Hinkov, E. G. Karam, N. Kawakami, K. C. Koenen, S. Lee, J. P. Lépine, D. Levinson, F. Navarro-Mateu, B. D. Oladeji, S. O'Neill, B.-E. Pennell, M. Piazza, J. Posada-Villa, K. M. Scott, D. J. Stein, Y. Torres, M. C. Viana, A. M. Zaslavsky, R. C. Kessler
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 48 / Issue 3 / February 2018
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2017, pp. 437-450
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Background
Research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) course finds a substantial proportion of cases remit within 6 months, a majority within 2 years, and a substantial minority persists for many years. Results are inconsistent about pre-trauma predictors.
MethodsThe WHO World Mental Health surveys assessed lifetime DSM-IV PTSD presence-course after one randomly-selected trauma, allowing retrospective estimates of PTSD duration. Prior traumas, childhood adversities (CAs), and other lifetime DSM-IV mental disorders were examined as predictors using discrete-time person-month survival analysis among the 1575 respondents with lifetime PTSD.
Results20%, 27%, and 50% of cases recovered within 3, 6, and 24 months and 77% within 10 years (the longest duration allowing stable estimates). Time-related recall bias was found largely for recoveries after 24 months. Recovery was weakly related to most trauma types other than very low [odds-ratio (OR) 0.2–0.3] early-recovery (within 24 months) associated with purposefully injuring/torturing/killing and witnessing atrocities and very low later-recovery (25+ months) associated with being kidnapped. The significant ORs for prior traumas, CAs, and mental disorders were generally inconsistent between early- and later-recovery models. Cross-validated versions of final models nonetheless discriminated significantly between the 50% of respondents with highest and lowest predicted probabilities of both early-recovery (66–55% v. 43%) and later-recovery (75–68% v. 39%).
ConclusionsWe found PTSD recovery trajectories similar to those in previous studies. The weak associations of pre-trauma factors with recovery, also consistent with previous studies, presumably are due to stronger influences of post-trauma factors.
Post-traumatic stress disorder associated with sexual assault among women in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys
- K. M. Scott, K. C. Koenen, A. King, M. V. Petukhova, J. Alonso, E. J. Bromet, R. Bruffaerts, B. Bunting, P. de Jonge, J. M. Haro, E. G. Karam, S. Lee, M. E. Medina-Mora, F. Navarro-Mateu, N. A. Sampson, V. Shahly, D. J. Stein, Y. Torres, A. M. Zaslavsky, R. C. Kessler
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 48 / Issue 1 / January 2018
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 June 2017, pp. 155-167
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Background
Sexual assault is a global concern with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), one of the common sequelae. Early intervention can help prevent PTSD, making identification of those at high risk for the disorder a priority. Lack of representative sampling of both sexual assault survivors and sexual assaults in prior studies might have reduced the ability to develop accurate prediction models for early identification of high-risk sexual assault survivors.
MethodsData come from 12 face-to-face, cross-sectional surveys of community-dwelling adults conducted in 11 countries. Analysis was based on the data from the 411 women from these surveys for whom sexual assault was the randomly selected lifetime traumatic event (TE). Seven classes of predictors were assessed: socio-demographics, characteristics of the assault, the respondent's retrospective perception that she could have prevented the assault, other prior lifetime TEs, exposure to childhood family adversities and prior mental disorders.
ResultsPrevalence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV) PTSD associated with randomly selected sexual assaults was 20.2%. PTSD was more common for repeated than single-occurrence victimization and positively associated with prior TEs and childhood adversities. Respondent's perception that she could have prevented the assault interacted with history of mental disorder such that it reduced odds of PTSD, but only among women without prior disorders (odds ratio 0.2, 95% confidence interval 0.1–0.9). The final model estimated that 40.3% of women with PTSD would be found among the 10% with the highest predicted risk.
ConclusionsWhether counterfactual preventability cognitions are adaptive may depend on mental health history. Predictive modelling may be useful in targeting high-risk women for preventive interventions.
Psychological autopsy study comparing suicide decedents, suicide ideators, and propensity score matched controls: results from the study to assess risk and resilience in service members (Army STARRS)
- M. K. Nock, C. L. Dempsey, P. A. Aliaga, D. A. Brent, S. G. Heeringa, R. C. Kessler, M. B. Stein, R. J. Ursano, D. Benedek,
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 47 / Issue 15 / November 2017
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 May 2017, pp. 2663-2674
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Background
The suicide rate has increased significantly among US Army soldiers over the past decade. Here we report the first results from a large psychological autopsy study using two control groups designed to reveal risk factors for suicide death among soldiers beyond known sociodemographic factors and the presence of suicide ideation.
MethodsInformants were next-of-kin and Army supervisors for: 135 suicide cases, 137 control soldiers propensity-score-matched on known sociodemographic risk factors for suicide and Army history variables, and 118 control soldiers who reported suicide ideation in the past year.
ResultsResults revealed that most (79.3%) soldiers who died by suicide have a prior mental disorder; mental disorders in the prior 30-days were especially strong risk factors for suicide death. Approximately half of suicide decedents tell someone that they are considering suicide. Virtually all of the risk factors identified in this study differed between suicide cases and propensity-score-matched controls, but did not significantly differ between suicide cases and suicide ideators. The most striking difference between suicides and ideators was the presence in the former of an internalizing disorder (especially depression) and multi-morbidity (i.e. 3+ disorders) in the past 30 days.
ConclusionsMost soldiers who die by suicide have identifiable mental disorders shortly before their death and tell others about their suicidal thinking, suggesting that there are opportunities for prevention and intervention. However, few risk factors distinguish between suicide ideators and decedents, pointing to an important direction for future research.
Childhood adversity, adult stress, and the risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder in US soldiers: a test of the stress sensitization hypothesis
- G. Bandoli, L. Campbell-Sills, R. C. Kessler, S. G. Heeringa, M. K. Nock, A. J. Rosellini, N. A. Sampson, M. Schoenbaum, R. J. Ursano, M. B. Stein,
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 47 / Issue 13 / October 2017
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 26 April 2017, pp. 2379-2392
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Background
The stress sensitization theory hypothesizes that individuals exposed to childhood adversity will be more vulnerable to mental disorders from proximal stressors. We aimed to test this theory with respect to risk of 30-day major depressive episode (MDE) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among new US Army soldiers.
MethodsThe sample consisted of 30 436 new soldier recruits in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience (Army STARRS). Generalized linear models were constructed, and additive interactions between childhood maltreatment profiles and level of 12-month stressful experiences on the risk of 30-day MDE and GAD were analyzed.
ResultsStress sensitization was observed in models of past 30-day MDE (χ2 8 = 17.6, p = 0.025) and GAD (χ2 8 = 26.8, p = 0.001). This sensitization only occurred at high (3+) levels of reported 12-month stressful experiences. In pairwise comparisons for the risk of 30-day MDE, the risk difference between 3+ stressful experiences and no stressful experiences was significantly greater for all maltreatment profiles relative to No Maltreatment. Similar results were found with the risk for 30-day GAD with the exception of the risk difference for Episodic Emotional and Sexual Abuse, which did not differ statistically from No Maltreatment.
ConclusionsNew soldiers are at an increased risk of 30-day MDE or GAD following recent stressful experiences if they were exposed to childhood maltreatment. Particularly in the military with an abundance of unique stressors, attempts to identify this population and improve stress management may be useful in the effort to reduce the risk of mental disorders.
Posttraumatic stress disorder in the World Mental Health Surveys
- K. C. Koenen, A. Ratanatharathorn, L. Ng, K. A. McLaughlin, E. J. Bromet, D. J. Stein, E. G. Karam, A. Meron Ruscio, C. Benjet, K. Scott, L. Atwoli, M. Petukhova, C. C.W. Lim, S. Aguilar-Gaxiola, A. Al-Hamzawi, J. Alonso, B. Bunting, M. Ciutan, G. de Girolamo, L. Degenhardt, O. Gureje, J. M. Haro, Y. Huang, N. Kawakami, S. Lee, F. Navarro-Mateu, B.-E. Pennell, M. Piazza, N. Sampson, M. ten Have, Y. Torres, M. C. Viana, D. Williams, M. Xavier, R. C. Kessler,
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 47 / Issue 13 / October 2017
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 07 April 2017, pp. 2260-2274
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Background
Traumatic events are common globally; however, comprehensive population-based cross-national data on the epidemiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the paradigmatic trauma-related mental disorder, are lacking.
MethodsData were analyzed from 26 population surveys in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. A total of 71 083 respondents ages 18+ participated. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview assessed exposure to traumatic events as well as 30-day, 12-month, and lifetime PTSD. Respondents were also assessed for treatment in the 12 months preceding the survey. Age of onset distributions were examined by country income level. Associations of PTSD were examined with country income, world region, and respondent demographics.
ResultsThe cross-national lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 3.9% in the total sample and 5.6% among the trauma exposed. Half of respondents with PTSD reported persistent symptoms. Treatment seeking in high-income countries (53.5%) was roughly double that in low-lower middle income (22.8%) and upper-middle income (28.7%) countries. Social disadvantage, including younger age, female sex, being unmarried, being less educated, having lower household income, and being unemployed, was associated with increased risk of lifetime PTSD among the trauma exposed.
ConclusionsPTSD is prevalent cross-nationally, with half of all global cases being persistent. Only half of those with severe PTSD report receiving any treatment and only a minority receive specialty mental health care. Striking disparities in PTSD treatment exist by country income level. Increasing access to effective treatment, especially in low- and middle-income countries, remains critical for reducing the population burden of PTSD.
Early life stress and the anxious brain: evidence for a neural mechanism linking childhood emotional maltreatment to anxiety in adulthood
- G. A. Fonzo, H. J. Ramsawh, T. M. Flagan, A. N. Simmons, S. G. Sullivan, C. B. Allard, M. P. Paulus, M. B. Stein
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 46 / Issue 5 / April 2016
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 16 December 2015, pp. 1037-1054
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Background
Childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) increases the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder in adulthood, but the neural processes underlying conferment of this risk have not been established. Here, we test the potential for neuroimaging the adult brain to inform understanding of the mechanism linking CEM to adult anxiety symptoms.
MethodOne hundred eighty-two adults (148 females, 34 males) with a normal-to-clinical range of anxiety symptoms underwent structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging while completing an emotion-processing paradigm with facial expressions of fear, anger, and happiness. Participants completed self-report measures of CEM and current anxiety symptoms. Voxelwise mediation analyses on gray-matter volumes and activation to each emotion condition were used to identify candidate brain mechanisms relating CEM to anxiety in adulthood.
ResultsDuring processing of fear and anger faces, greater amygdala and less right dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC) activation partially mediated the positive relationship between CEM and anxiety symptoms. Greater right posterior insula activation to fear also partially mediated this relationship, as did greater ventral anterior cingulate (ACC) and less dorsal ACC activation to anger. Responses to happy faces in these regions did not mediate the CEM-anxiety relationship. Smaller right dlPFC gray-matter volumes also partially mediated the CEM-anxiety relationship.
ConclusionsActivation patterns of the adult brain demonstrate the potential to inform mechanistic accounts of the CEM conferment of anxiety symptoms. Results support the hypothesis that exaggerated limbic activation to negative valence facial emotions links CEM to anxiety symptoms, which may be consequent to a breakdown of cortical regulatory processes.
Household food security and infant feeding practices in rural Bangladesh
- Aatekah Owais, David G Kleinbaum, Parminder S Suchdev, ASG Faruque, Sumon K Das, Benjamin Schwartz, Aryeh D Stein
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- Journal:
- Public Health Nutrition / Volume 19 / Issue 10 / July 2016
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 13 November 2015, pp. 1875-1881
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Objective
To determine the association between household food security and infant complementary feeding practices in rural Bangladesh.
DesignProspective, cohort study using structured home interviews during pregnancy and 3 and 9 months after delivery. We used two indicators of household food security at 3-months’ follow-up: maternal Food Composition Score (FCS), calculated via the World Food Programme method, and an HHFS index created from an eleven-item food security questionnaire. Infant feeding practices were characterized using WHO definitions.
SettingTwo rural sub-districts of Kishoreganj, Bangladesh.
SubjectsMother–child dyads (n 2073) who completed the 9-months’ follow-up.
ResultsComplementary feeding was initiated at age ≤4 months for 7 %, at 5–6 months for 49 % and at ≥7 months for 44 % of infants. Based on 24 h dietary recall, 98 % of infants were still breast-feeding at age 9 months, and 16 % received ≥4 food groups and ≥4 meals (minimally acceptable diet) in addition to breast milk. Mothers’ diet was more diverse than infants’. The odds of receiving a minimally acceptable diet for infants living in most food-secure households were three times those for infants living in least food-secure households (adjusted OR=3·0; 95 % CI 2·1, 4·3). Socio-economic status, maternal age, literacy, parity and infant sex were not associated with infant diet.
ConclusionsHHFS and maternal FCS were significant predictors of subsequent infant feeding practices. Nevertheless, even the more food-secure households had poor infant diet. Interventions aimed at improving infant nutritional status need to focus on both complementary food provision and education.
The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium
- C. Benjet, E. Bromet, E. G. Karam, R. C. Kessler, K. A. McLaughlin, A. M. Ruscio, V. Shahly, D. J. Stein, M. Petukhova, E. Hill, J. Alonso, L. Atwoli, B. Bunting, R. Bruffaerts, J. M. Caldas-de-Almeida, G. de Girolamo, S. Florescu, O. Gureje, Y. Huang, J. P. Lepine, N. Kawakami, Viviane Kovess-Masfety, M. E. Medina-Mora, F. Navarro-Mateu, M. Piazza, J. Posada-Villa, K. M. Scott, A. Shalev, T. Slade, M. ten Have, Y. Torres, M. C. Viana, Z. Zarkov, K. C. Koenen
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 46 / Issue 2 / January 2016
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 29 October 2015, pp. 327-343
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Background
Considerable research has documented that exposure to traumatic events has negative effects on physical and mental health. Much less research has examined the predictors of traumatic event exposure. Increased understanding of risk factors for exposure to traumatic events could be of considerable value in targeting preventive interventions and anticipating service needs.
MethodGeneral population surveys in 24 countries with a combined sample of 68 894 adult respondents across six continents assessed exposure to 29 traumatic event types. Differences in prevalence were examined with cross-tabulations. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine whether traumatic event types clustered into interpretable factors. Survival analysis was carried out to examine associations of sociodemographic characteristics and prior traumatic events with subsequent exposure.
ResultsOver 70% of respondents reported a traumatic event; 30.5% were exposed to four or more. Five types – witnessing death or serious injury, the unexpected death of a loved one, being mugged, being in a life-threatening automobile accident, and experiencing a life-threatening illness or injury – accounted for over half of all exposures. Exposure varied by country, sociodemographics and history of prior traumatic events. Being married was the most consistent protective factor. Exposure to interpersonal violence had the strongest associations with subsequent traumatic events.
ConclusionsGiven the near ubiquity of exposure, limited resources may best be dedicated to those that are more likely to be further exposed such as victims of interpersonal violence. Identifying mechanisms that account for the associations of prior interpersonal violence with subsequent trauma is critical to develop interventions to prevent revictimization.
Predicting non-familial major physical violent crime perpetration in the US Army from administrative data
- A. J. Rosellini, J. Monahan, A. E. Street, S. G. Heeringa, E. D. Hill, M. Petukhova, B. Y. Reis, N. A. Sampson, P. Bliese, M. Schoenbaum, M. B. Stein, R. J. Ursano, R. C. Kessler
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 46 / Issue 2 / January 2016
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 06 October 2015, pp. 303-316
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Background.
Although interventions exist to reduce violent crime, optimal implementation requires accurate targeting. We report the results of an attempt to develop an actuarial model using machine learning methods to predict future violent crimes among US Army soldiers.
Method.A consolidated administrative database for all 975 057 soldiers in the US Army in 2004–2009 was created in the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS). Of these soldiers, 5771 committed a first founded major physical violent crime (murder-manslaughter, kidnapping, aggravated arson, aggravated assault, robbery) over that time period. Temporally prior administrative records measuring socio-demographic, Army career, criminal justice, medical/pharmacy, and contextual variables were used to build an actuarial model for these crimes separately among men and women using machine learning methods (cross-validated stepwise regression, random forests, penalized regressions). The model was then validated in an independent 2011–2013 sample.
Results.Key predictors were indicators of disadvantaged social/socioeconomic status, early career stage, prior crime, and mental disorder treatment. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was 0.80–0.82 in 2004–2009 and 0.77 in the 2011–2013 validation sample. Of all administratively recorded crimes, 36.2–33.1% (male-female) were committed by the 5% of soldiers having the highest predicted risk in 2004–2009 and an even higher proportion (50.5%) in the 2011–2013 validation sample.
Conclusions.Although these results suggest that the models could be used to target soldiers at high risk of violent crime perpetration for preventive interventions, final implementation decisions would require further validation and weighing of predicted effectiveness against intervention costs and competing risks.
Occupational differences in US Army suicide rates
- R. C. Kessler, M. B. Stein, P. D. Bliese, E. J. Bromet, W. T. Chiu, K. L. Cox, L. J. Colpe, C. S. Fullerton, S. E. Gilman, M. J. Gruber, S. G. Heeringa, L. Lewandowski-Romps, A. Millikan-Bell, J. A. Naifeh, M. K. Nock, M. V. Petukhova, A. J. Rosellini, N. A. Sampson, M. Schoenbaum, A. M. Zaslavsky, R. J. Ursano
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 45 / Issue 15 / November 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 20 July 2015, pp. 3293-3304
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Background
Civilian suicide rates vary by occupation in ways related to occupational stress exposure. Comparable military research finds suicide rates elevated in combat arms occupations. However, no research has evaluated variation in this pattern by deployment history, the indicator of occupation stress widely considered responsible for the recent rise in the military suicide rate.
MethodThe joint associations of Army occupation and deployment history in predicting suicides were analysed in an administrative dataset for the 729 337 male enlisted Regular Army soldiers in the US Army between 2004 and 2009.
ResultsThere were 496 suicides over the study period (22.4/100 000 person-years). Only two occupational categories, both in combat arms, had significantly elevated suicide rates: infantrymen (37.2/100 000 person-years) and combat engineers (38.2/100 000 person-years). However, the suicide rates in these two categories were significantly lower when currently deployed (30.6/100 000 person-years) than never deployed or previously deployed (41.2–39.1/100 000 person-years), whereas the suicide rate of other soldiers was significantly higher when currently deployed and previously deployed (20.2–22.4/100 000 person-years) than never deployed (14.5/100 000 person-years), resulting in the adjusted suicide rate of infantrymen and combat engineers being most elevated when never deployed [odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1–4.1], less so when previously deployed (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.1), and not at all when currently deployed (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.8–1.8). Adjustment for a differential ‘healthy warrior effect’ cannot explain this variation in the relative suicide rates of never-deployed infantrymen and combat engineers by deployment status.
ConclusionsEfforts are needed to elucidate the causal mechanisms underlying this interaction to guide preventive interventions for soldiers at high suicide risk.
Generating evidence to narrow the treatment gap for mental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa: rationale, overview and methods of AFFIRM
- C. Lund, A. Alem, M. Schneider, C. Hanlon, J. Ahrens, C. Bandawe, J. Bass, A. Bhana, J. Burns, D. Chibanda, F. Cowan, T. Davies, M. Dewey, A. Fekadu, M. Freeman, S. Honikman, J. Joska, A. Kagee, R. Mayston, G. Medhin, S. Musisi, L. Myer, T. Ntulo, M. Nyatsanza, A. Ofori-Atta, I. Petersen, S. Phakathi, M. Prince, T. Shibre, D. J. Stein, L. Swartz, G. Thornicroft, M. Tomlinson, L. Wissow, E. Susser
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- Journal:
- Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences / Volume 24 / Issue 3 / June 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 02 April 2015, pp. 233-240
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There is limited evidence on the acceptability, feasibility and cost-effectiveness of task-sharing interventions to narrow the treatment gap for mental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this article is to describe the rationale, aims and methods of the Africa Focus on Intervention Research for Mental health (AFFIRM) collaborative research hub. AFFIRM is investigating strategies for narrowing the treatment gap for mental disorders in sub-Saharan Africa in four areas. First, it is assessing the feasibility, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of task-sharing interventions by conducting randomised controlled trials in Ethiopia and South Africa. The AFFIRM Task-sharing for the Care of Severe mental disorders (TaSCS) trial in Ethiopia aims to determine the acceptability, affordability, effectiveness and sustainability of mental health care for people with severe mental disorder delivered by trained and supervised non-specialist, primary health care workers compared with an existing psychiatric nurse-led service. The AFFIRM trial in South Africa aims to determine the cost-effectiveness of a task-sharing counselling intervention for maternal depression, delivered by non-specialist community health workers, and to examine factors influencing the implementation of the intervention and future scale up. Second, AFFIRM is building individual and institutional capacity for intervention research in sub-Saharan Africa by providing fellowship and mentorship programmes for candidates in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Each year five Fellowships are awarded (one to each country) to attend the MPhil in Public Mental Health, a joint postgraduate programme at the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University. AFFIRM also offers short courses in intervention research, and supports PhD students attached to the trials in Ethiopia and South Africa. Third, AFFIRM is collaborating with other regional National Institute of Mental Health funded hubs in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, by designing and executing shared research projects related to task-sharing and narrowing the treatment gap. Finally, it is establishing a network of collaboration between researchers, non-governmental organisations and government agencies that facilitates the translation of research knowledge into policy and practice. This article describes the developmental process of this multi-site approach, and provides a narrative of challenges and opportunities that have arisen during the early phases. Crucial to the long-term sustainability of this work is the nurturing and sustaining of partnerships between African mental health researchers, policy makers, practitioners and international collaborators.
Contributors
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- By Andrew Adesman, Lenard A. Adler, Samuel Alperin, Kira E. Armstrong, L. Eugene Arnold, Amy F. T. Arnsten, Russell A. Barkley, Craig W. Berridge, Joseph Biederman, F. Xavier Castellanos, Barbara J. Coffey, Alison M. Cohn, C. Keith Conners, Joan M. Daughton, Stephen V. Faraone, John Fayyad, Lisa G. Hahn, Laura Hans, Elizabeth Hurt, Gagan Joshi, Rahil Jummani, Jesse M. Jun, Ronald C. Kessler, Scott Haden Kollins, Kimberly Kovacs, Christopher J. Kratochvil, Beth Krone, Nicholas Lofthouse, Michael J. Manos, Francis Joseph McClernon, Joel E. Morgan, Nicholas R. Morrison, Sonali Nanayakkara, Jeffrey H. Newcorn, Phillip L. Pearl, Juan D. Pedraza, Guy M. L. Perry, Steven R. Pliszka, Jefferson B. Prince, J. Russell Ramsay, Anthony L. Rostain, David M. Shaw, Mary V. Solanto, Mark A. Stein, Jonathan R. Stevens, Brigette S. Vaughan, Margaret Weiss, Roy E. Weiss, Timothy E. Wilens, Janet Wozniak
- Edited by Lenard A. Adler, New York University School of Medicine, Thomas J. Spencer, Timothy E. Wilens
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- Book:
- Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults and Children
- Published online:
- 05 February 2015
- Print publication:
- 08 January 2015, pp vii-x
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Understanding the elevated suicide risk of female soldiers during deployments
- A. E. Street, S. E. Gilman, A. J. Rosellini, M. B. Stein, E. J. Bromet, K. L. Cox, L. J. Colpe, C. S. Fullerton, M. J. Gruber, S. G. Heeringa, L. Lewandowski-Romps, R. J. A. Little, J. A. Naifeh, M. K. Nock, N. A. Sampson, M. Schoenbaum, R. J. Ursano, A. M. Zaslavsky, R. C. Kessler
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- Journal:
- Psychological Medicine / Volume 45 / Issue 4 / March 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 31 October 2014, pp. 717-726
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Background
The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) has found that the proportional elevation in the US Army enlisted soldier suicide rate during deployment (compared with the never-deployed or previously deployed) is significantly higher among women than men, raising the possibility of gender differences in the adverse psychological effects of deployment.
MethodPerson-month survival models based on a consolidated administrative database for active duty enlisted Regular Army soldiers in 2004–2009 (n = 975 057) were used to characterize the gender × deployment interaction predicting suicide. Four explanatory hypotheses were explored involving the proportion of females in each soldier's occupation, the proportion of same-gender soldiers in each soldier's unit, whether the soldier reported sexual assault victimization in the previous 12 months, and the soldier's pre-deployment history of treated mental/behavioral disorders.
ResultsThe suicide rate of currently deployed women (14.0/100 000 person-years) was 3.1–3.5 times the rates of other (i.e. never-deployed/previously deployed) women. The suicide rate of currently deployed men (22.6/100 000 person-years) was 0.9–1.2 times the rates of other men. The adjusted (for time trends, sociodemographics, and Army career variables) female:male odds ratio comparing the suicide rates of currently deployed v. other women v. men was 2.8 (95% confidence interval 1.1–6.8), became 2.4 after excluding soldiers with Direct Combat Arms occupations, and remained elevated (in the range 1.9–2.8) after adjusting for the hypothesized explanatory variables.
ConclusionsThese results are valuable in excluding otherwise plausible hypotheses for the elevated suicide rate of deployed women and point to the importance of expanding future research on the psychological challenges of deployment for women.