264533 Does childhood trauma place service members at an increased risk for suicidal ideation?

Wednesday, October 31, 2012 : 9:10 AM - 9:30 AM

Rossybelle Perales, MPH , Biostatistics, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX
Michael Gallaway, PhD , Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program, US Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Kelly Forys, PhD , Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program (BSHOP), US Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Joseph Pecko, P , Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program, Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Shelley Schmissrauter, MPH , Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program (BSHOP), Army Institute of Public Health, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
Amy Millikan, MD, MPH , Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program, United States Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD
A previous assessment of US Army Soldiers who died by suicide or attempted suicide found a high prevalence of childhood trauma (61%); however, the research scope was limited by the inability to quantify the association between experiencing childhood trauma and suicidal behavior due to a lack of existing data. The current study, a cross-sectional analysis of 819 Sailors aims to explore the association between childhood trauma and adulthood suicidal ideation. Sailors were categorized as having experienced childhood trauma if they reported experiencing any of the following during childhood: emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional neglect, physical neglect, parental separation/divorce, domestic violence, family drug/alcohol abuse, family mental health problem or a family member in jail. Over 60% of the population reported some kind of childhood trauma, and 22% of the population reported 4 or more different types of trauma. Experiencing any form of childhood trauma increased the risk of reporting suicidal ideation as an adult 2 to 3-fold. Findings suggest that Sailors with a history of childhood trauma are at higher risk for expressing suicidal ideation. Developing suicide prevention interventions specific to service members with a history of childhood trauma could be beneficial.

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the distribution of childhood trauma and suicidal ideation among a small division of active duty a Navy Sailors. 2. Assess the relationship between childhood trauma and suicidal ideation among a small division of active duty a Navy Sailors.

Keywords: Suicide, Adult and Child Mental Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was involved in the data collection, anlaysis and synthesis of all information to be collected.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.