Long-term Psychoactive Medications, Polypharmacy, and Risk of Suicide and Unintended Overdose Death Among Midlife and Older Women Veterans.

ABSTRACT: Rates of suicide and unintended overdose death are high among midlife and older women, yet there is paucity of data identifying women at greatest risk. Psychoactive medications, commonly prescribed and co-prescribed in this population, may serve as salient indicators of risk for these outcomes. To determine whether long-term psychoactive medications and psychoactive polypharmacy predict risk of suicide and unintended overdose death among midlife and older women Veterans above and beyond other recognized factors. Longitudinal cohort study PARTICIPANTS: Women Veterans aged ≥ 50 with at least one Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinical encounter in FY2012-2013. Long-term psychoactive medications (opioids, benzodiazepines, sedative-hypnotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and antiepil

SUBMITTER: Gibson CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9481785 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature