Objective: To identify group-based patterns in suicidal ideation (SI) over the first 10 years after traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Methods: Participants included 9539 individuals in the TBI Model Systems National Database who responded to Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item 9 assessing SI at 1, 2, 5, and/or 10 years post-injury. A k-means cluster analysis was conducted to determine group-based patterns of SI, and pre-injury variables were compared with ANOVAs and chi-square tests.
Results: SI and attempts decreased over time. Four group-based patterns emerged: Low, increasing, moderate, and decreasing SI. The low SI group comprised 89% of the sample, had the highest pre-injury employment, fewer mental health vulnerabilities, least severe injuries, and were oldest. The increasing SI group had the most severe TBIs, were youngest, and disproportionately Black or Asian/Pacific Islander.
Conclusion: These findings reinforce the importance of mental health and suicide risk assessment during chronic recovery from TBI.
Keywords: TBI Model Systems; cluster analysis; suicidal ideation; suicide; traumatic brain injury.
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