State of innovation in suicide intervention research with military populations

Area of Science:

• Military Mental Health
• Suicidology
• Clinical Trials Research

Background:

• Suicidal ideation and behavior pose a significant risk to military service members, guard-reservists, and veterans.
• Effective interventions are crucial for this population, necessitating a review of current research.
• Understanding the landscape of funded research is key to identifying gaps and advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify active, externally funded randomized controlled trials (RCTs) targeting suicidal ideation or behavior.
• To focus the search on U.S. military service members, guard-reservists, and veterans.
• To analyze innovations in intervention delivery and outcome measurement.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• Inclusion criteria focused on U.S. military populations and suicidal outcomes.
• Analysis of funding sources and identified innovative practices.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three active, externally funded RCTs were identified.
• Primary funding sources were the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Identified innovations included targeting suicide deaths/attempts as primary outcomes, technology-delivered interventions, and non-clinical settings.

Conclusions:

• The research landscape for suicide prevention in military populations is actively funded, primarily by governmental agencies.
• Recent trials demonstrate innovative approaches to intervention delivery and outcome assessment.
• Further research may benefit from exploring these novel strategies and rarely studied treatments.