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Chalker SA, Parrish EM, Martinez Ceren CS, Depp CA, Ilgen MA, Goodman M, Twamley EW, Doran N. Crisis service utilization following completion of a suicide safety plan for Veterans with and without affective and nonaffective psychosis. Journal of psychiatric research. 2022 Oct 1; 154:219-223.
Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects. OBJECTIVE: Psychosis is associated with increased suicide risk. Safety planning is a suicide prevention practice that is associated with decreased suicidal behavior and psychiatric hospitalizations. A common feature of safety planning is listing of crisis line numbers. The primary purpose of this study was to compare Veterans with and without psychosis who completed a safety plan in terms of their next year crisis service use, including Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) calls, and suicidal behavior. METHODS: Data were drawn from the VA San Diego''s electronic medical record system for (N = 1602) safety plans from 2018 to 2021. Clinical records of crisis services and suicide attempt/death were recorded for one year after the safety plan. RESULTS: Following completion of a safety plan, Veterans with psychosis were more likely to have a next year psychiatric hospitalization (OR = 4.1), emergency department visit (OR = 2.3), and psychiatric emergency clinic visit (OR = 2.2) than those without psychosis. In contrast, there were no group differences in likelihood of calling the VCL. CONCLUSIONS: Veterans with psychosis who recently completed a safety plan do not show elevated rates of VCL use that are commensurate with increases in crisis service use. Interventions for this high-risk group may focus on understanding the motivation and ability to call the VCL as ways to enhance safety planning.
