Link to the original press release
A study published in part by Dr. Kevin Saulnier and Dr. Rebecca Sripada, staff with VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan, has revealed that initiating evidence-based therapies significantly reduces the risk of suicide among Veterans newly diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Published in JAMA Network Open, the research highlights the critical role of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) in suicide prevention among Veterans.
Key Findings:
- Reduction in Suicide Risk: Veterans who began CPT or PE therapy demonstrated 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 significantly further reduce the suicide risk compared to those who received fewer than eight sessions. Dr. Saulnier noted, "Many individuals undergoing CPT or PE experience a rapid reduction in symptoms within the first few sessions."
- Comparison to Other Therapies: Veterans who received CPT or PE specifically had a lower risk of suicide than those receiving other forms of therapy, reinforcing the effectiveness of these treatments.
These findings underscore the importance of making CPT and PE therapies readily available to Veterans and encouraging early initiation of treatment. Dr. Saulnier explained, "By challenging unhelpful thought patterns and learned associations, patients reduce the emotional impact of trauma."
To maximize the impact of these findings, the study recommends the following:
- 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 discussions of CPT/PE in treatment planning to facilitate shared decision-making between Veterans and healthcare providers.
This study marks a significant advancement in our understanding of PTSD treatment and suicide prevention in Veterans. Ensuring access to and initiation of CPT and PE therapies is essential to reducing suicide risk among Veterans.
Dr. Saulnier emphasized, "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 as a critical component of suicide prevention efforts."
