Suicide Clinical Trials

For the past 20+ years the investigators have focused on addressing two interrelated public health issues, alcohol use disorder (AUD) and suicide in Alaska. There is no greater source of health disparity in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities than that involving AUD and suicide, and no greater necessity in addressing this disparity than the development of sustained, trusting, collaborative, and non-exploitive research relationships with those who historically experienced forced acculturation and exploitation. Yup'ik community leaders have made addressing AUD and suicide among their highest priorities. Working with Yup'ik community members, the investigators developed a multilevel (individual, family, peer, and community) intervention that uses a culturally-based AUD and suicide prevention framework. The Qungasvik (kung-az-vik; a Yup'ik word meaning 'toolbox') intervention is a Yup'ik AN approach to prevention organized and implemented utilizing a local indigenous theory of change and process model to build protective factors against AUD and suicide. The purposes of the proposed research are to: (a) validate results obtained from previous smaller intervention studies aimed at reducing the incidence of AUD and suicide in 12-18 year old Yup'ik Alaska Native (AN) youth; and (b) learn more about the relative importance of the individual, family, peer, and community variables that underscore the Qungasvik intervention. This study will: (a) assess the efficacy of the Qungasvik intervention through a two group community level trial using an interrupted time series design with wait-listed control, and (b) examine mechanisms of change in response to intervention. Specific aims (SA) of the project are to: (SA1) test the Qungasvik intervention efficacy through impact on the ultimate outcome variables of reasons for life and reflective processes on alcohol use consequences, and on suicidal ideation and alcohol use; (SA2) examine the mechanisms of change in response to the Qungasvik intervention through (a) self-report outcome measures of protective factors (b) social network assessment and (c) process evaluation; (SA3) test levels of fidelity of the implementation of the intervention with regard to the Yup'ik indigenous theory-driven intervention model outlined in the Qungasvik manual of operations. Read Less

Overview. The investigators will randomize 120 Veterans in this 3-site trial over 16 months. Eligible Veterans will include those to be discharged for a hospitalization for suicidal ideation. Baseline data collection and randomization will occur at discharge. The 3 month intervention will have study assessments at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-discharge. The study's primary outcome measure is suicidal ideation (measured with the Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation[BSS] and secondarily with the Columbia Scale for Suicidality C-SSRS). Intervention Components. The control condition will consist of Veterans randomized to VHA-SRM (Suicide Risk Monitoring). The experimental condition will be the telehealth system (TES) + VHA-SRM (Suicide Risk Monitoring) intervention. Veterans randomized to the telehealth system will receive the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system monitoring in addition to VHA-SRM and will receive training on how to use the TES from the research coordinator. Veterans can access the IVR as a telephonic device accessed by a local or toll-free number and can use a 'plain old telephone system' (POTS), Cellular phone or Internet phone connected to their phone service provider. Participants will be instructed to interact daily with the TES system daily. Because of safety concerns, questions pertaining to suicidal behavior will be asked daily; to avoid repetition, all other questions will be asked every 3rd day. Once participants complete the questions on the telehealth device, their responses will be automatically uploaded and checked by trained VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) nurses every 4 hours, during regular daytime hours of 9-5. VAPHS will serve as the central site retrieving downloads for all sites. Color-coded risk triage level designations based on potential responses, provide guidance regarding next steps. The protocol for assessing suicidal patients will follow standard VA procedures, outlined in each medical center's safety plan for suicidal patients. Read Less