Using health records to find and treat suicide risk in PTSD
Deriving high-quality evidence from national healthcare databases to improve suicidality detection and treatment outcomes in PTSD
This project uses medical records from many patients with PTSD to find hidden suicide risk and learn which treatments are safer and more helpful.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11241153 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have PTSD, researchers will analyze electronic health records and insurance claims from over 1.8 million people (many Veterans) to find instances of suicidality and self-harm that were missed or not coded. They will apply machine learning to detect hidden or uncoded mental health conditions that commonly occur with PTSD, such as depression, bipolar disorder, substance use, and traumatic brain injury. The team will build models that account for changing medications and multiple co-occurring conditions to improve prediction of outcomes and treatment effects. The goal is to help clinicians spot risk earlier and choose safer, more effective medication plans for people like me.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with PTSD—especially U.S. Veterans and those with co-occurring conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, substance use, or traumatic brain injury—are the focus of this work.
Not a fit: People without PTSD or those whose care is not captured in the VHA or linked claims databases are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help clinicians detect suicide risk sooner and guide safer, more effective treatment choices for people with PTSD.
How similar studies have performed: Previous EHR and machine-learning work has had mixed success predicting suicide risk, and combining multiple national databases with careful bias adjustments is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Albuquerque, United States
- University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr — Albuquerque, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lambert, Christophe G. — University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr
- Study coordinator: Lambert, Christophe G.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.