Virtual Mental Health Visits Linked To Lower Suicide-Related Events

A 1% increase in the proportion of mental health care received through telehealth services was associated with a 2.5% decrease in suicide-related events (SREs). The researchers found this to be a statistically significant decrease in SREs, suggesting that virtual mental health services may reduce suicide-related outcomes.

The findings were based on a nationally representative sample of veterans from the Veterans Health Administration. All veterans in the sample received at least two diagnoses related to major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder in the year before their separation date. Virtual visits represented a mean of . . .