Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38353139›Full record

ArticleSuicide & life-threatening behavior2024

Perspectives of suicide loss survivors: Qualitative analysis of data from a psychological autopsy study of U.S. Army soldiers.

Kelly L Zuromski, Chelsey R Wilks, Maha Al-Suwaidi, Ellen Wittler, Lilly Scherban, Blake Hite, LaTashia Raymond, Catherine L Dempsey, Murray B Stein, Robert J Ursano and 2 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Suicide & life-threatening behavior, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Starting the conversation: A new path in suicide prevention.Global mental health (Cambridge, England) · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Kelly L ZuromskiDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4798-898X
Chelsey R WilksDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Maha Al-SuwaidiDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Ellen WittlerDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Lilly ScherbanDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Blake HiteDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
LaTashia RaymondDepartment of Psychology, William James College, Newton, Massachusetts, USA.
Catherine L DempseyDepartment of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5712-6590
Murray B SteinDepartment of Psychiatry and Family Medicine & Public Health, University of California, San Diego, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9564-2871
Robert J UrsanoDepartment of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1861-9173
David BenedekDepartment of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Matthew K NockDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

Funding

Modifiable Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Behaviors in the US ArmyU01MH087981 · NIMH · HENRY M. JACKSON FDN FOR THE ADV MIL/MED · PI STEIN, MURRAY B., URSANO, ROBERT J. · 2009 to 2013
$65.0M
Biological/behavioral rhythms and suicidal behavior: A real-time monitoring studyK23MH120439 · NIMH · HARVARD UNIVERSITY · PI ZUROMSKI, KELLY · 2020 to 2023
$740k
NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH120439NIMH NIH HHS K23MH120439NIMH NIH HHS U01 MH087981
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSuicide loss survivors can provide information not otherwise available about the circumstances preceding a suicide. In this study, we analyzed interview data from suicide loss survivors collected as part of a psychological autopsy study of U.S. Army soldiers.

methodsNext-of-kin (NOK) (n = 61) and Army supervisors (SUP) (n = 107) of suicide decedents (n = 135) who had died in the last 2-3 months answered open-ended questions about suicide risk factors, ideas for improving suicide prevention, and the impact of the suicide. Responses were coded using conventional content analysis methods to identify common themes.

resultsMany NOK (30%) and SUP (50%) did not observe any signs of risk preceding the soldier's suicide. The most common idea regarding suicide prevention from SUP was that the suicide was inevitable, whereas NOK were more likely to emphasize the importance of increasing mental health treatment and reducing stigma. Both NOK and SUP reported negative effects of the suicide, but SUP reported some positive effects (e.g., increased unit connectedness).

conclusionsResults underscore the challenges of using informants to identify soldiers at high risk of suicide, given many respondents did not observe any warning signs. Findings also highlight attitudinal barriers present in the military that, if targeted, may increase soldiers' help-seeking and willingness to disclose their risk.

Indexed as

FamilyMilitary PersonnelQualitative ResearchSuicide, CompletedSurvivorshipAttitudeHumansInterviews as TopicRisk FactorsSuicide PreventionUnited Statesmilitaryqualitative methodssuicide

Identifiers

PMID38353139
PMCPMC11164635

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.