COMPLETED

Public Messaging to Increase Treatment Seeking for Veterans at Risk for Suicide

Study Overview

This clinical trial focuses on testing the efficacy of different digital interventions to promote re-engagement in cancer-related long-term follow-up care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer.

Description

The risk for suicide increases by nearly 50% in the first year that service members transition from the military to civilian life underscoring the need for effective strategies to facilitate help seeking among Veterans vulnerable to self-directed violence. Yet despite a great need for treatment, more than half of returning Veterans at risk for suicide do not initiate mental health services. VA has embarked on the regular use of communication campaigns as part of a public health approach designed to reach the larger Veteran population with messages promoting help seeking. However, what types of messages effectively change beliefs and behaviors for at-risk Veterans resistant to seek treatment is unclear. The main objective of this study is to develop and test the use of public messaging to increase treatment seeking among Veterans at risk for suicide and resistant to seek mental health care following separation from military service. This represents the first study to systematically develop public messaging strategies for populations at risk for suicide.

Official Title

Public Messaging to Increase Treatment Seeking Among Veterans at Risk for Suicide During Transition From Military Service

Quick Facts

Study Start:2022-11-01
Study Completion:2025-09-30
Study Type:Not specified
Phase:Not Applicable
Enrollment:Not specified
Status:COMPLETED

Study ID

NCT04784663

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Ages Eligible for Study:18 Years to 89 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:Yes
Standard Ages:ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Inclusion CriteriaExclusion Criteria
  1. * U.S. Veteran that separated from military service in the past 12 months (any discharge type);
  2. * \>18 years old;
  3. * experiencing suicidal ideation;
  4. * low intent to seek help;
  5. * capable of understanding the goals of the study;
  6. * willing and able to provide verbal consent; and 7) smartphone ownership and willing to download/use study mobile app
  1. * currently (or in the past 12 months) in formal mental health treatment services;
  2. * deemed impaired during eligibility screening; and 3) currently institutionalized

Contacts and Locations

Principal Investigator

Elizabeth Karras-Pilato, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, NY

Study Locations (Sites)

VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, NY
Canandaigua, New York, 14424-1159
United States

Collaborators and Investigators

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

  • Elizabeth Karras-Pilato, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, VA Finger Lakes Healthcare System, Canandaigua, NY

Study Record Dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Registration Dates

Study Start Date2022-11-01
Study Completion Date2025-09-30

Study Record Updates

Study Start Date2022-11-01
Study Completion Date2025-09-30

Terms related to this study

Keywords Provided by Researchers

  • communication
  • Veterans
  • public health
  • treatment engagement

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

  • Mental Health
  • Suicide