Risk and Resilience to Suicide Following Late-Life Spousal Bereavement

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH · Dec 20, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The RISE study is a clinical trial that aims to understand how sleep patterns and social activities affect mood and thoughts of suicide in older adults who have recently lost a spouse or life partner. Researchers are specifically looking at how these daily rhythms can influence feelings of sadness or the risk of suicidal thoughts in this vulnerable group.

To participate in this study, individuals must be at least 65 years old and have lost their spouse or partner within the last year. They should also have a history of serious depression or previous suicide attempts. The study is currently recruiting participants, and those who join can expect to share information about their sleep and social activities while receiving support for their mental health. It's important to note that individuals with certain mental health conditions or major cognitive impairment are not eligible to participate. This research aims to provide valuable insights that could help improve support for older adults facing these challenging feelings after a loss.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• • Older adults who recently lost their spouse or life partner and are high risk for suicidal thoughts and/or behavior.
• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Bereaved \< or = to 12 months from spousal/partner loss
• • 2. \> or = to 65 years old
• • 3. Verified history of suicide attempt/attempts and/or current or past history of Major Depressive Disorder/Major Depressive Episode (MDD/MDE) (without psychotic features), or history of depression severe enough to trigger treatment, or current subsyndromal depression (\> or = to 9 HDRS)
• • 4. No diagnosis of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders/bipolar/current psychosis
• • 5. Does not reside in nursing home
• • 6. Not a current shift worker
• • 7. No major cognitive impairment: TICS score of \> or = to 27
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Bereaved \>12 months from spousal/partner bereavement
• • 2. \< 65 years old
• • 3. Patient is not spousal/partner bereaved (ex: parent, sibling, etc.)
• • 4. Prior diagnosis of schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders/bipolar/current psychosis or medications listed indicate diagnosis of these disorders/MDD or MDE with psychotic features
• • 5. Major cognitive impairment: TICS score of \<27
• • 6. Current shift worker
• • 7. Resides in a nursing home
• • 8. Unstable medical condition (e.g., unstable angina, end stage renal disease)