Population Impact of Wingman-Connect Implemented by the US Air Force

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · Jul 25, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study looks at a suicide prevention program called Wingman-Connect that the U.S. Air Force is putting in place at eight bases. Using a stepped-wedge design, the program will roll out in pairs of bases every few months over about 51 months. Researchers will compare base-wide suicide attempts (specifically among junior Airmen in ranks E1–E4) before and after Wingman-Connect is started at each base. In total, about 17,400 Airmen are expected to receive the training, which aims to strengthen social connections and promote positive coping.

People involved in the study include Air Force staff delivering the training at the bases and, for the outcomes, de-identified administrative data on suicide attempts collected by the Air Force. The study plans to collect information every six months and will not involve experimental drugs or procedures for individuals. Participation is through invitation, and the study is currently enrolling with results not yet available; data will be shared in a de-identified form with a national data archive for researchers to access in the future. The trial is led by the University of Rochester and University researchers, with start around August 2024 and an estimated completion in 2027.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Data from bases in the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) \& Air Mobility Command (AMC) MajComs.
• • 96 implementers (4-5 per base over at each data point, and 8-12 respondents per site across the study period)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • none