Examining the Association between Psychiatric Illness and Suicidal Ideation in a Sample of Treatment-Seeking Canadian Peacekeeping and Combat Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Authors

Don Richardson, Western UniversityFollow
Kate St. Cyr, Macdonald Franklin OSI Research Centre
Alexandra M. McIntyre-Smith, Macdonald Franklin OSI Research Centre
David Haslam, Macdonald Franklin OSI Research Centre
Jon D. Elhai, University of Toledo
Jitender Sareen, University of Manitoba

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2012

Journal

The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry

Volume

57

Issue

8

First Page

496

Last Page

504

URL with Digital Object Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371205700808

Abstract

Objective:

Our study examines the association between suicidal ideation and and self-reported symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and alcohol use disorder (AUD) in a sample of treatment-seeking Canadian combat and peacekeeping veterans; and identifies potential predictors of suicidal ideation.

Methods:

Actively serving Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and veterans seeking treatment at the Parkwood Hospital Operational Stress Injury Clinic (n = 250) completed measures including the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and the PTSD Checklist—Military Version (PCL-M) between January 2002 and December 2010. Regression analyses were used to determine the respective impact of PTSD, and self-reported symptoms of MDD, GAD, AUD, and anxiety on suicidal ideation.

Results:

Most people met PCL-M screening criteria for PTSD (73.6%, n = 184), while 70.8% (n = 177) screened positively for a probable major depressive episode. PTSD symptom was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (β = 0.412, P < 0.001). After controlling for self-reported depressive symptom severity, AUD severity, and generalized anxiety, PTSD severity was no longer significantly associated with suicidal ideation (β = 0.043, P = 0.58).

Conclusions:

Although PTSD alone is associated with suicidal ideation, after controlling for common comorbid psychiatric illnesses, self-reported depressive symptom severity emerged as the most significant predictor of suicidal ideation. These findings support the importance of screening for comorbidities, particularly an MDD, as potentially modifiable conditions that are strongly related to suicidal ideation in military personnel's endorsing criteria for PTSD.

Notes

Originally published in Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, V.57, No.8, available at https://doi.org/10.1177/070674371205700808