A-State researchers studying veterans’ concussions

A group of researchers across the Arkansas State University campus are researching concussions and the impact they have on veteran suicides. “The Veterans’ Suicide Prevention Project” is a group of 17 faculty researchers representing the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

“We have been tasked to investigate mental health issues and suicide ideation in military veterans,” said Dr. Scott Bruce, College of Nursing and Health Professions associate dean of research.

Depression and suicidal thoughts are common among veterans who suffered a concussion during their military service. It is something the team of researchers aimed to learn more about.

The study collected data on 78 military veterans and found “the combination of concussion history and combat experience strongly predicted either anxiety, depression, or suicide ideation in military veterans,” Bruce said.

“Our study provides insights into the relationships between concussion history, combat experience, and their impacts on mental health issues and suicide ideation among military veterans,” he added.

The study is catching traction. A manuscript of the Veterans’ Suicide Prevention Project submitted to Brain Sciences titled “The Relationship Between Concussion and Combat History and Mental Health and Suicide Ideation Among United States Military Veterans—A Pilot Study,” has been published as part of a special issue titled: “Advances in Assessment and Training of Perceptual-Motor Performance.”

Bruce recently presented a research poster and oral presentation on behalf of the Veterans’ Suicide Prevention Project at the annual St. Bernards Research Symposium.

The title of the research was: “The Role of Concussion History & Combat Experience Upon Veterans’ Suicide Ideation and Mental Health.” The oral presentation won “Best Oral Presentation” for the research category.