Alcohol Use Problems, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicide Risk Among Trauma-Exposed Firefighters

Bing-Canar, Hanaan; Ranney, Rachel M.; McNett, Sage; Tran, Jana K.; Berenz, Erin C.; Vujanovic, Anka A.

doi:10.1097/nmd.0000000000000947

Cited by 35Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesPosttraumatic Stress Disorder ResearchOccupational Health and Performance

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 40 of the 40 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Alcohol Use Problems, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicide Risk Among Trauma-Exposed Firefighters

Bing-Canar, Hanaan, Ranney, Rachel M., McNett, Sage, Tran, Jana K., Berenz, Erin C., Vujanovic, Anka A.·2019·Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease

DOI 10.1097/nmd.0000000000000947

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Abstract

Alcohol use problems are associated with suicidal desire and may provide an avenue to suicidal ideation and behavior. However, the influence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the nature of the relationship between alcohol use problems and suicide risk is not well understood. In particular, the potential for PTSD to moderate the association between alcohol use problems and suicide risk remains unexplored. The present study investigated the main and interactive effects of alcohol use problems (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and PTSD symptoms (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5) on suicide risk (Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised) in a sample of 632 trauma-exposed firefighters (93.5% men; Mage = 38.44 years, SD = 8.59). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses evaluated whether the main and interactive effects of PTSD symptom severity and alcohol use disorders were significantly related to suicide risk, above and beyond age and cumulative trauma. The main effects of PTSD symptom severity (odds ratio, 1.76; p < 0.001) and alcohol use problems (odds ratio, 1.37; p = 0.391) significantly positively predicted suicide risk; however, PTSD symptoms did not moderate an association between alcohol use problems and suicide risk after accounting for these main effects (p > 0.05). A secondary, exploratory aim demonstrated that all PTSD symptom clusters significantly positively predicted suicide risk (p's < 0.001), although none of these clusters interacted with alcohol use problems to predict suicide risk (p's > 0.05). Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed as they relate to the importance of screening for PTSD and alcohol use disorder among firefighter populations.

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In a study of 632 trauma-exposed firefighters, PTSD symptoms significantly predicted suicide risk.
“Bing-Canar et al. [69] assessed 632 trauma-exposed firefighters and found PTSD symptoms to significantly predict suicide risk.”
From The Cyclical Battle of Insomnia and Mental Health Impairment in Firefighters: A Narrative Review (2024) · cites this paper as [69]
Alcohol consumption has been associated with suicide risk among firefighters.
“Further, alcohol consumption has been associated with suicide risk among firefighters [69].”
From The Cyclical Battle of Insomnia and Mental Health Impairment in Firefighters: A Narrative Review (2024) · cites this paper as [69]

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Authors: Bing-Canar, H., Ranney, R. M., McNett, S., Tran, J. K., Berenz, E. C., & Vujanovic, A. A.
Affiliations: Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois;
University of Illinois Chicago (US)
Houston Fire Department; and
University of Houston (US)
Corresponding author: Ranney, Rachel M.
McNett, Sage
Berenz, Erin C.
ORCID: Ranney, Rachel M.
Berenz, Erin C.
Vujanovic, Anka A.
Venue: Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published: 2019-03
Volume: 207
Issue: 3
Pages: 192-198
ISSN: 0022-3018 (ISSN-L)
1539-736X
DOI: 10.1097/nmd.0000000000000947
OpenAlex: W2913861111
Cited by: 35
References: 40
Citations by year: 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1
FWCI: 4.68
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research
Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Occupational Health and Performance
Keywords: alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide risk, firefighters, trauma exposure, PTSD symptom clusters, moderation, suicidal ideation, occupational injuries, screening
MeSH terms: Psychological Trauma, Adult, Alcoholism, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Risk, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Suicide, Comorbidity, Firefighters

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Alcohol Use Problems, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicide Risk Among Trauma-Exposed Firefighters

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