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Loneliness partially mediates the relation between substance use and suicidality in Veterans
Katherine Musacchio Schafer1,2, Emma Wilson-Lemoine3,4, Marie Campione3
1Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Summary
Loneliness significantly contributes to suicidality among Veterans with substance use issues. Interventions reducing loneliness may decrease Veteran suicide risk and substance misuse.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
- Veterans Affairs
Background:
- The United States faces rising rates of loneliness, substance use, and suicidality.
- Veterans exhibit higher prevalence of these issues compared to civilian populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interrelationships between loneliness, substance use, and suicidality in Veterans.
- To examine the potential mediating role of loneliness in the association between substance use and suicidality.
Main Methods:
- 1,469 Veterans completed online surveys assessing psychosocial factors.
- Pearson correlations and mediational models were employed to analyze the data.
Main Results:
- Loneliness, substance use, and suicidality were found to be significantly and positively correlated.
- Loneliness partially mediated the relationship between substance use and suicidality, indicating its significant role.
Conclusions:
- Loneliness is a key factor linking substance use to suicidality in Veterans.
- The Veterans Health Administration should prioritize and fund community engagement programs to mitigate substance use, loneliness, and suicidality in this population.
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