Citation

Luk JW, LaCroix JM, Thompson MF, Darmour C, Perera KU, Goldston D, Soumoff A, Weaver J, Ghahramanlou-Holloway M. Addict. Behav. 2019; 102: e106178.

Affiliation

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. Electronic address: marjan.holloway@usuhs.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.106178

PMID

31783246

Abstract

BACKGROUND: To describe prevalence and identify clinical correlates of hazardous drinking among suicidal inpatients at military medical settings.

METHOD: Data were drawn from the baseline assessment of a multisite randomized controlled trial of Post-Admission Cognitive Therapy (PACT). Participants were military Service members or adult beneficiaries (N = 218) who were admitted to inpatient care following a suicide-related crisis. Hazardous alcohol use in the past year was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT).

RESULTS: The average AUDIT score was 6.78 (SD = 7.87), with 28.9% reporting hazardous drinking (scored ≥8 on the AUDIT). Hazardous drinkers were more likely than nonhazardous drinkers to meet diagnosis of Substance Use Disorder (SUD; Odds Ratio [OR] = 5.96, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 2.13, 16.71). Hazardous drinking was neither associated with measures of suicide ideation nor aborted or interrupted suicide attempt. However, hazardous drinkers had greater risk of having both single (RRR [Relative Risk Ratio] = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.18, 5.50) and multiple actual suicide attempts (RRR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.06, 5.32) than nonhazardous drinkers. The association between hazardous drinking and single (but not multiple) actual suicide attempt remained significant after controlling for gender, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and SUD (adjusted RRR = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.09, 5.65).

CONCLUSIONS: A history of actual suicide attempt is associated with hazardous alcohol use among suicidal psychiatric inpatients. Assessment of drinking and drug use may inform case conceptualization and treatment of suicide-related behaviors in psychiatric inpatient settings.

Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol; Military; Psychiatric inpatient; Suicide attempt; Suicide ideation