Mental health and suicidal ideation in US military veterans with histories of COVID-19 infection

Abstract

IntroductionThere have been reports of increased prevalence in psychiatric conditions in non-veteran survivors of COVID-19. To date, however, no known study has examined the prevalence, risk and protective factors of psychiatric conditions among US military veterans who survived COVID-19.MethodsData were analysed from the 2019 to 2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, which surveyed a nationally representative, prospective cohort of 3078 US veterans. Prepandemic and 1-year peripandemic risk and protective factors associated with positive screens for peripandemic internalising (major depressive, generalised anxiety and/or posttraumatic stress disorders) and externalising psychiatric disorders (alcohol and/or drug use disorders) and suicidal ideation were examined using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 233 veterans (8.6%) reported having been infected with COVID-19. Relative to veterans who were not infected, veterans who were infected were more likely to screen positive for internalising disorders (20.5% vs 13.9%, p=0.005), externalising disorders (23.2% vs 14.8%, p=0.001) and current suicidal ideation (12.0% vs 7.6%, p=0.015) at peripandemic. Multivariable analyses revealed that greater prepandemic psychiatric symptom severity and COVID-related stressors were the strongest independent predictors of peripandemic internalising disorders, while prepandemic trauma burden was protective. Prepandemic suicidal ideation, greater loneliness and lower household income were the strongest independent predictors of peripandemic suicidal ideation, whereas prepandemic community integration was protective.ConclusionPsychiatric symptoms and suicidal ideation are prevalent in veterans who have survived COVID-19. Veterans with greater prepandemic psychiatric and substance use problems, COVID-related stressors and fewer psychosocial resources may be at increased risk of these outcomes.

SARS-CoV-2 Infection and the Risk of Suicidal and Self-Harm Thoughts and Behaviour: A Systematic Review

“…Being around others who are ill or who die from COVID-19 may also have a psychological impact that could confer risk. This appears to have been observed, for example, by Na et al, 22 who found a higher risk of suicidal/self-harm thoughts in people with SARS-CoV-2 who lived with someone who was also infected.…”

“…One used a cross-sectional design with 3,078 veterans of whom 233 reported a diagnosis of COVID-19. 22 It found a higher proportion of those with SARS-CoV-2 who reported recent thoughts (12.0% vs. 7.6%; PR 1.58, 1.09–2.29). This study also examined correlates of recent suicidal/self-harm thoughts in those with SARS-CoV-2.…”

“…Na et al 22 , 23 conducted two studies of suicidal/self-harm thoughts in U.S. military veterans. One used a cross-sectional design with 3,078 veterans of whom 233 reported a diagnosis of COVID-19.…”

Hyper/neuroinflammation in COVID-19 and suicide etiopathogenesis: Hypothesis for a nefarious collision?

“…Notably, suicide risk might be elevated in infected subjects with a history of SI. As demonstrated in a study of US veterans, those who were infected with SARS-CoV2 were more likely to exhibit peri-pandemic SI, whose strongest independent predictive factors include the existence of this neuropsychiatric symptom before the pandemic ( Na et al, 2021 ).…”

Dog Ownership May Promote Cardiac Health in U.S. Military Veterans: Results from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study

“…The following brief pet ownership-related questionnaire were added in Wave 2 and embedded among questions regarding mental health outcomes cf. 40 .…”