VHA Study Reveals Decrease in Suicide Risk Among Veterans Who Start Evidence-based PTSD Therapy

Dr. Kevin Saulnier and Dr. Rebecca Sripada with VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System recently published a study in JAMA Network Open showing promising results for reductions in suicide risk associated with evidence-based therapies among Veterans newly diagnosed with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The study, conducted by researchers from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and several universities, including the University of Michigan, demonstrates that initiating Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) or Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) is associated with substantial reductions in suicide risk.

Key Findings:

• Reduction in Suicide Risk: Veterans who began CPT or PE therapy showed a 23% lower risk of suicide compared to those who did not start these therapies.
• Therapy Course: Completing eight or more therapy sessions did not show a significant additional reduction in suicide risk compared to those who received fewer than eight sessions. Dr. Saulnier adds that “Many individuals undergoing CPT or PE experience a rapid reduction in symptoms within the first few sessions.”
• Comparison to Other Therapies: Among Veterans who received any form of psychotherapy, those who received CPT or PE specifically had a lower risk of suicide than those receiving other forms of therapy.

Implications

These findings underscore the importance of making CPT and PE therapies readily available to Veterans and encouraging early initiation of treatment. Dr. Saulnier explains that ”By challenging unhelpful thought patterns and unhelpful learned associations, patients are able to reduce the emotional impact of the trauma.” The study highlights that even the initial step of starting therapy has an impact on reducing suicide risk.

Recommendations

• Increase efforts to ensure timely access to CPT and PE therapies for all Veterans diagnosed with PTSD.
• Enhance educational programs for healthcare providers to expand the use of these therapies.
• Include CPT/PE discussions in treatment planning to facilitate shared decision-making between Veterans and healthcare providers.

Conclusion

This study is a significant step forward in our understanding of PTSD treatment and suicide prevention in Veterans. Ensuring access to and initiation of CPT and PE therapies is vital in reducing the suicide risk among Veterans living with PTSD.
“Suicide prevention is VA’s top clinical priority. These findings, and previous work, suggest that the investments VA has made in expanding access to evidence-based PTSD treatments have paid off for both treating PTSD and also as a critical component of suicide prevention efforts.” Dr. Saulnier added.
For further information, please contact vhaannpublicaffairs@va.gov.

Sabrina Lanker, Public Affairs Specialist

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