# Longitudinal Assessment of the Sleep-Suicide Link in Veterans Discharged from Inpatient Psychiatric Care

> **NIH VA I01** · PROVIDENCE VA  MEDICAL CENTER · 2024 · —

## Abstract

The primary goal of the proposed study is to conduct a longitudinal, multimodal assessment of Veteran
sleep and suicide during the period following psychiatric hospitalization. Veterans and military personnel
account for 18% of all known suicides in the United States, with 20 Veterans dying each day of suicide and 900
attempting suicide monthly. While multiple risk factors have been implicated in suicide behavior, insufficient
sleep is consistently associated with elevated suicide risk. Since sleep difficulties often drive Veterans into
treatment, sleep problems may be an optimal target for suicide prevention. Unfortunately the exact link
between inadequate sleep and suicide risk is unclear and research is mixed regarding which specific types of
sleep problems are associated with suicide and which mechanisms are driving the sleep-suicide link.
 The goal of this study is to examine the link between sleep and suicide ideation and related behaviors
in a sample of high risk Veterans. One hundred and forty Veterans will be recruited during inpatient
hospitalization and followed over 6 months following hospital discharge. Sleep and suicide will be assessed
using a combination of actigraphy and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). EMA will assess
mechanisms hypothesized to drive the relationship between sleep and suicide including emotional reactivity
and impulsivity. EMA devices will be able to capture daily changes in the hypothesized mechanisms, sleep
parameters, and suicide thoughts and behaviors. The primary objective will be to examine how sleep impacts
suicidal ideation and behavior and to determine which specific sleep parameters influence suicide thoughts
and behaviors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10242628
- **Project number:** 5I01HX002534-02
- **Recipient organization:** PROVIDENCE VA  MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN E MCGEARY
- **Activity code:** I01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10242628

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10242628, Longitudinal Assessment of the Sleep-Suicide Link in Veterans Discharged from Inpatient Psychiatric Care (5I01HX002534-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10242628. Licensed CC0.

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