A Self-Help Crisis Outreach Effort for At-Risk Primary Care Patients: A Pilot Study of Veterans During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Published in: Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 75; no. 5; pp. 504 - 507
• Main Authors: Funderburk, Jennifer S., Shepardson, Robyn L., Possemato, Kyle, Johnson, Emily M., Roelk, Brandi, Louer-Thompson, Elizabeth, Martin, Jessica, Wray, Laura O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc 01.05.2024
• Subjects: Borderline personality disorder; Case management; COVID-19; Patient admissions; Psychotherapy; Prevention; Veterans issue; Crisis intervention; Affective disorders; self-help; Primary care
• ISSN: 1075-2730; 1557-9700; 1557-9700
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20230157

Stressful events can exacerbate symptoms of psychiatric disorders among primary care patients, putting them at increased risk for suicide. In a pilot study that ran from August to December of 2020, researchers evaluated the acceptability and implementation of Managing Emotions in Disaster and Crisis (MEDIC), a self-help intervention designed to assist at-risk primary care patients. A total of 108 at-risk veterans completed baseline and 6-week assessments. Results were promising, with high patient acceptability and engagement along with improvement in all measures of mental illness symptoms from baseline to posttreatment. Self-help interventions like MEDIC may offer a low-burden way for primary care providers to support more patients.