Postvention in the U.S. Military: Survey of Survivors of Suicide Loss from 2010-2014 (original) (raw)
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Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 2016
ON BEHALF OF THE ARMY STARRS COLLABORATORS Debate continues about the accuracy of military suicide reporting due to concerns that some suicides may be classified as accidents to minimize stigma and ensure survivor benefits. We systematically reviewed records for 998 active duty Army deaths (510 suicides; 488 accident, homicide, and undetermined deaths; 2005-2009) and, using research criteria, reclassified 8.2% of the nonsuicide cases to definite suicide (1), suicide probable (4), or suicide possible (35). The reclassification rate to definite suicide was only 0.2% (1/488). This low rate suggests that flagrant misclassification of Army deaths is uncommon and surveillance reports likely reflect the "true" population of Army suicides.
Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (DoDSER) Calendar Year 2011 Annual Report
2012
Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number.
Suicides and Suicide Attempts in the U.S. Military, 2008-2010
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 2013
Report Program collects extensive information on suicides and suicide attempts from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy. Data are compiled on demographics, suicide event details, behavioral health treatment history, military history, and information about other potential risk factors such as psychosocial stressors that were present at the time of the event. The ultimate goal of this standardized suicide surveillance program is to assist suicide prevention in the U.S. military. Descriptive data are presented on 816 suicides and 1,514 suicide attempts reported through the program between 2008 and 2010. Following the launch of U.S. military combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, an upward trend in suicides among service members emerged (Kuehn, 2009, 2010). By 2008, the number of military suicides had increased for the fourth consecutive year (Reger, Luxton, Skopp, Lee, & Gahm, 2009). Historically, the rates of suicide among military personnel have been lower than the rate in the general U.S. population (Eaton, Messer, Garvey Wilson, & Hoge, 2006). However, by 2008, Army numbers of suicides represented a rate of more than 20 per 100,000, higher than the adjusted civilian rate and the highest Army suicide rate in nearly three decades (Kang & Bullman, 2009). Other military service branches also reported rates that were unprecedented (Kuehn, 2009). Research on suicide in the civilian sector has highlighted a broad range of risk factors encompassing possible biosocial and environmental origins.
A Historical Examination of Military Records of US Army Suicide, 1819 to 2017
JAMA Network Open
IMPORTANCE Suicide rates among active-duty personnel in the US military have increased substantially since 2004, and numerous studies have attempted to contextualize and better understand this phenomenon. Placing contemporary examinations of suicides among active-duty personnel in the US Army in historical context provides opportunities for joint historical and epidemiological research to inform health care professionals and policy makers. OBJECTIVES To consolidate data on suicide rates among active-duty personnel in the US Army as far back as historical records allow and to identify historical trends to separate them from more acute causal factors.
Suicide in the Military: Understanding Rates and Risk Factors Across the United States’ Armed Forces
Military Medicine
This paper presents data from the United States Department of Defense Suicide Event Report System for years 2012–2015 to detail descriptive, longitudinal rate data and risk factor profiles associated with military suicide. The annual findings were aggregated from all U.S. military suicide deaths and suicide attempts. Data elements included the most common method of suicide (firearms), most common behavioral health diagnoses (substance abuse/dependence), common life stressors (failed intimate–partner relationships), and an individual’s history of operational deployment. Age- and sex-adjusted rates for the Services were compared with rates for the U.S. adult population. Results showed that the current reporting period (2015) is similar to patterns that have been observed over the preceding years and to patterns reported in the overall U.S. adult population. Suicide rates remain elevated but stable for both the Active and Reserve Components of the Military Services compared to historic...
Characteristics of Suicides Among US Army Active Duty Personnel in 17 US States From 2005 to 2007
American Journal of Public Health, 2012
R. M. Bossarte led development of the Veteran's Health Module, designed the analyses, and drafted the article. K. L. Knox contributed to the development of the Veteran's Health Module and the article. R. Piegari conducted the analyses and contributed to the article. J. Altieri contributed to the development of the Veteran's Health Module, reviewed analyses, and contributed to the article. J. Kemp and I. R. Katz reviewed analyses and contributed to the development of the article.
Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 2017
Prior research has shown that a substantial portion of suicide decedents access health care in the weeks and months before their death. We examined whether this is true among soldiers. The sample included the 569 Regular Army soldiers in the U.S. Army who died by suicide on active duty between 2004 and 2009 compared to 5,690 matched controls. Analyses examined the prevalence and frequency of health care contacts and documentation of suicide risk (i.e., the presence of prior suicidal thoughts and behaviors) over the year preceding suicide death. Predictors of health care contact and suicide risk documentation were also examined. Approximately 50% of suicide decedents accessed health care in the month prior to their death, and over 25% of suicide decedents accessed health care in the week prior to their death. Mental health encounters were significantly more prevalent among suicide decedents (4 weeks: 27.9% vs. 7.9%, χ2 = 96.2, p < .001; 52 weeks: 59.4% vs. 33.7%, χ2 = 120.2, p <...
Military veteran mortality following a survived suicide attempt
BMC Public Health, 2011
Background: Suicide is a global public health problem. Recently in the U.S., much attention has been given to preventing suicide and other premature mortality in veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. A strong predictor of suicide is a past suicide attempt, and suicide attempters have multiple physical and mental comorbidities that put them at risk for additional causes of death. We examined mortality among U.S. military veterans after hospitalization for attempted suicide. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with all military veterans receiving inpatient treatment during 1993-1998 at United States Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities following a suicide attempt. Deaths occurring during 1993-2002, the most recent available year at the time, were identified through VA Beneficiary and Records Locator System data and National Death Index data. Mortality data for the general U.S. adult population were also obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics. Comparisons within the veteran cohort, between genders, and against the U.S. population were conducted with descriptive statistics and standardized mortality ratios. The actuarial method was used estimate the proportion of veterans in the cohort we expect would have survived through 2002 had they experienced the same rate of death that occurred over the study period in the U. S. population having the age and sex characteristics.