(PS9-28) Racial Differences in Coping Strategies and Mental Health and Suicide Risk Reduction among Patients Enrolled in a Suicide Care Coordination Intervention

Background: Suicide remains a leading cause of death in the U.S., with significant racial disparities in suicide risk identification and intervention efficacy. The Linking Individuals Needing Care (LINC) program is a structured suicide care coordination intervention designed to mitigate suicide risk and depressive symptoms (Gryglewicz et al., 2023). However, the extent to which different coping strategies contribute to these reductions, and whether their effectiveness varies by race, remains underexplored. Additionally, research has demonstrated that post-discharge interventions play a crucial role in maintaining treatment gains and preventing suicide reattempts, particularly for racially diverse populations with varying coping mechanisms (Gryglewicz et al., 2023). Studies also suggest that coping strategies moderate the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation, with social support and religious coping serving as protective factors, while self-blame and behavioral disengagement increase risk (Goodwill, 2022; Rabinovitch et al., 2015). This study seeks to build on existing research by examining how racial differences influence the effectiveness of coping strategies in structured suicide prevention interventions.  

Methods: 551 adult patients participated in the 90-day LINC intervention delivered in emergency department settings in a southeastern hospital system. This study analyzed data collected from patients enrolled in LINC to assess whether engagement in various coping strategies predicted reductions in depressive symptomatology (PHQ-9 change) and suicide risk (C-SSRS change) within 30 days of enrollment. Multiple regression models were used to examine the influence of coping strategies while testing for race-based differences.   

Results: Findings suggest that goal setting was significantly associated with reduced C-SSRS scores among all participants (B = 3.58, p < 0.05), while cognitive reframing strategies approached significance in reducing C-SSRS change for marginalized populations (B = -3.0, p = 0.050). Conversely, coping strategies focused on distraction were associated with an increase in PHQ-9 scores for all participants (B = 4.67, p = 0.056), while problem-solving strategies neared statistical significance in reducing PHQ-9 scores for marginalized populations (B = 13.61, p = 0.077).  

Conclusions: These results highlight potential differential coping strategies and the impact of structural support on marginalized communities. These findings underscore the importance of considering racial differences in suicide prevention interventions. While goal-setting and cognitive reframing may generally support suicide risk reduction, their efficacy may differ across racial groups due to cultural, systemic, and social determinants of health. Future research should explore culturally responsive adaptations to suicide care interventions to enhance effectiveness across diverse populations.