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Suicide among male veterans: a prospective population-based study
Mark S Kaplan1, Nathalie Huguet, Bentson H McFarland
1School of Community Health, Portland State University, PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA. kaplanm@pdx.edu
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|June 15, 2007
Summary
Male veterans face double the risk of suicide compared to non-veterans. Risk factors include being white, having limited education, and activity limitations. Interventions are crucial for current and future veteran populations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Veterans' Health
Background:
- Suicide is a significant public health concern, particularly among veteran populations.
- Understanding risk factors for suicide mortality in veterans is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the risk of suicide mortality among male veterans in the general US population.
- To identify demographic and health-related factors associated with increased suicide risk in veterans.
Main Methods:
- Prospective follow-up study utilizing data from the US National Health Interview Surveys (1986-1994) linked to the National Death Index (1986-1997).
- Analysis included 320,890 men aged 18 years or older, followed for mortality over 12 years.
- Cox proportional hazards analysis was employed to determine risk factors for suicide.
Main Results:
- Veterans were twice as likely to die by suicide compared to non-veterans (adjusted hazard ratio 2.13).
- Increased suicide risk was associated with being white, having 12 or more years of education, and activity limitations, even after adjusting for morbidity.
- Overweight male veterans exhibited a significantly lower risk of suicide compared to normal-weight veterans.
Conclusions:
- Male veterans in the general US population are at an elevated risk for suicide, irrespective of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) affiliation.
- Projected increases in functional impairment and psychiatric morbidity among recent conflict veterans necessitate proactive clinical and community interventions.
- Interventions should target veterans in both VA and non-VA healthcare settings to mitigate suicide risk.
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