The Army STARRS Project: Statistical Design and Methods for an Integrated Investigation of the Epidemiological, Biological, and Neurocognitive Predictors of Suicidal Behavior

• Activity Number: 296
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 11, 2015 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Mental Health Statistics Section
• Author(s): Steven Heeringa and Paul C. Schulz* and Heather M. Schroeder
• Companies: University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and Institute for Social Research and Institute for Social Research
• Keywords: Suicide ; Soldiers ; Survey design ; Biomarkers ; Neurocognitive Measures ; Administrative data

Abstract

The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) is a multi-component epidemiological and neurobiological study designed to generate actionable evidence-based recommendations to reduce Army suicides and increase knowledge about risk and resilience factors for suicidality and its psychopathological correlates. Army STARRS includes six main component studies: (i)a historical cohort Administrative Data Study (ADS); (ii)a retrospective case-control study of nonfatal suicide attempts; iii) a case-control, psychological autopsy study of fatal suicides;(iv)a study of new Soldiers assessed just before beginning Basic Combat Training (BCT; (v)a cross-sectional epidemiological survey of approximately 35,000 Soldiers representative of all active duty Soldiers; and (vi) a prospective longitudinal cohort study of soldiers in Brigade Combat Teams about to deploy to Afghanistan,assessed again one, three, and nine months after returning from deployment. This paper presentation provides an overview of the integrated statistical aims, designs and analysis methods for the Army STARRS component study designs.