Suicide in the United States Air Force: Risk factors communicated before and at death

Background: Over the last decade, suicide rates in the U.S. military have steadily increased, resulting in a call for suicide-related research with military populations. The present project aimed to describe and evaluate the communications (i.e., verbally and in suicide notes) of 13 suicide risk factors in the suicide death investigation files of 98 active duty U.S. Air Force (USAF) members. Methods: Two-hundred thirty-seven suicide death investigation files were coded. Ninety-eight decedents left suicide notes and were included in the current analyses. Descriptive statistics were computed to evaluate the types of risk factors most commonly communicated prior to and at the time of death as well as the medium for their communication. Specifically, verbal and note communications were compared to evaluate which medium decedents most often used to communicate risk factors. Also, the frequency that interpersonal compared to intrapsychic risk factors were communicated was evaluated. Results: Hopelessness (35.7% of cases) and perceived burdensomeness (31.6% of cases) were the risk factors most often communicated in suicide notes but not verbally. Thwarted belongingness (29.6% of cases) was the risk factor most often communicated verbally and in the suicide note. Further, evaluated risk factors were more frequently communicated in suicide notes than verbally. Finally, interpersonal risk factors were more often communicated than intrapsychic risk factors. Limitations: The validity of the data relies on interviews of decedents\u27 acquaintances and various medical/military records. Conclusions: Our findings support emphasizing certain risk factors over others in USAF suicide prevention efforts. Further, interpersonal risk factors appeared to be more salient than intrapsychic risk factors in the minds of decedents

Interpersonal precipitants are associated with suicide intent communication among United States Air Force suicide decedents

Background: Few studies explore differences between suicide intent communicators and noncommunicators, and to date, none have examined the association between suicide precipitants and intent communication. Methods: United States Air Force suicide decedents (N = 236) were categorized as suicide intent communicators or non-communicators within 30 days prior to death. The top two frequently occurring suicide precipitants, categorized as interpersonal and legal/administrative, were examined in relation to suicide intent communication. Results: Nearly half (47.0%) of suicide decedents communicated intent within 30 days of death, of which the majority (61.3%) communicated their suicide intent within 24 h of death. Suicide intent communicators and non-communicators did not differ on demographics. Decedents with interpersonal precipitants were significantly more likely than those without to communicate suicide intent (52.7% versus 33.3%). Decedents with documented legal/administrative precipitants were equally likely as those without to communicate suicide intent (49.6% versus 44.0%). Controlling for legal/administrative precipitants, decedents with interpersonal precipitants were twice as likely to communicate suicide intent communication, OR = 2.2, p = .008 (95% CI = 1.23, 3.98). Limitations: Limitations include the retrospective study design, unknown mode of intent communication, unclear timing of precipitants relative to communication, and exclusion of other types of precipitants. Conclusions: Suicide intent communication was most frequent among decedents with interpersonal precipitants. This finding has important implications for the continued education of military families and communities on identifying and intervening with those making suicide intent disclosures. Additional research is needed to examine individual trajectories toward suicide to understand nuances of distal and proximal precipitants as related to suicide intent communication

Process and outcome evaluation of the "No more smoking! It's time for physical activity" program

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the program "No more smoking! It's time for physical activity", with a mixed methods design, in order to collect information to improve the program for future applications. Methods: Forty patients across five anti-smoking clinics in Central Greece completed the program. Counselors' records and participants' questionnaires and interviews were used as data in order to evaluate the programs' process and outcome. Results: Quantitative measures before and after the program revealed significant differences on smoking behavior, physical activity (PA) behavior, self-efficacy, and smoking habit measures. Qualitative data implied that the promotion of PA as a cessation aid was perceived as positive by the participants and both participants' and counselors' statements were encouraging for the effectiveness of PA promotion during the program as a cessation-aid technique. Conclusion: Evaluation of the "No more smoking! It's time for physical activity" program showed encouraging results. People who try to quit smoking can become more physically active through targeted intervention and they regard PA as a significant aid in their efforts to quit smoking. Copyright (C) 2013, Shanghai University of Sport. Production and hosting by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved

Self-Perceived Burden as a Mediator of Depressive Symptoms amongst Individuals Living with a Movement Disorder

Objective: Movement disorders are chronic illnesses that can lead to functional impairment and psychological distress. This study examined the relations between functional impairment, depression, and anxiety in individuals with movement disorders, and whether these associations were mediated by feelings of self‐perceived burden. Method: This cross‐sectional study sampled individuals (57 males and 57 females; mean age of 62) with chronic movement disorders from a movement disorders clinic. Patients completed measures of depression, anxiety, functional impairment, and self‐perceived burden. Results: Functional impairment was associated with depression, but not anxiety, and was mediated by self‐perceived burden for individuals with chronic movement disorders. Conclusions: Self‐perceived burden may have an important role relative to individuals\u27 adaptation to chronic illness with implications for future interventions

Fear of fatness and drive for thinness in predicting smoking status in college women

Recent research has identified fear of fatness (FF) as a related yet distinct construct from drive for thinness (DT). Whereas DT may be associated with need for approval and an “approach” tendency, FF may be more strongly related to avoidance of disapproval and an avoidant problem-solving style. Although no research has directly compared the influence of FF vs. DT with regard to smoking behavior, FF and DT might represent distinct motivations for smoking. We predicted that both FF and DT would be significantly associated with cigarette smoking, but that FF would be a stronger predictor of smoking behavior, even after controlling for variables such as body mass index (BMI) and nicotine dependence. Participants (N = 289) were female college undergraduate students. Daily smokers had the highest scores on measures of DT and FF, followed sequentially by infrequent smokers, “triers,” and never smokers. More frequent smokers also reported greater levels of body dissatisfaction and eating pathology than less frequent and never-smokers. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that greater DT predicted higher likelihood of smoking on a daily basis; however, higher FF predicted fewer cigarettes smoked per day. FF and DT may each play a role in the relationship between eating pathology and smoking, but they might be differentially related to specific smoking patterns. Both FF and DT and their coinciding coping styles should be further researched in the role of smoking initiation and maintenance