Prospective Association of Unmet Mental Health Treatment Needs With Suicidal Behavior Among Combat-Deployed Soldiers

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20220248
• Publication Date: 2023-03-06T08:06:17Z
• Authors: Andrew Luu; Laura Campbell-Sills; Xiaoying Sun; Ronald C. Kessler; Robert J. Ursano; Sonia Jain; Murray B. Stein
• Keywords: Association (psychology)

Military personnel frequently report discontinuing or not pursuing psychiatric treatment despite perceiving a need for services. This study aimed to examine how unmet support among U.S. Army soldiers relates future suicidal ideation (SI) suicide attempt (SA).Mental health and help seeking in the past 12 months were evaluated (N=4,645) who subsequently deployed Afghanistan. Weighted logistic regression models used prospective association of predeployment needs with SI SA during after deployment, adjustment potential confounders.Compared without needs, those reported needing it had increased risk deployment (adjusted OR [AOR]=1.73), past-30-day at 2-3 postdeployment (AOR=2.08), 8-9 (AOR=2.01), through (AOR=3.65). Soldiers sought stopped improvement elevated (AOR=2.35). Those improving did have but risks (AOR=1.71) (AOR=3.43) by postdeployment. Risks all suicidality outcomes also receiving ongoing before deployment.Unmet mental are associated behavior deployment. Detecting addressing may prevent reintegration periods.