Self-Directed Violence Aboard U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers: An Examination of General and Shipboard-Specific Risk and...

Self-directed violence (SDV), which includes suicidal ideation with and without intent, suicidal preparatory behaviors and attempts with and without harm, non-suicidal self-directed violence, and completed suicide, has been a rising concern in the military. Military shipboard personnel may represent a unique subset of this population due to the distinct nature of deployment stressors and embedded supports. As such, one might expect differences in the prevalence of SDV between this group and other active duty personnel, signifying a distinct operational impact. This study analyzed the prevalence of SDV among personnel assigned or deployed to U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, and examined whether occurrences varied by descriptors commonly identified in the literature (e.g., age, gender, marital status, pay grade/rank). This study also examined characteristics specific to life aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in order to better understand the issues particular to this population. Descriptive analyses and relative risk findings suggested similarities in demographic risk factors to the general military population, but also striking differences related to occupational specialty and assigned department. This study is the first to shed light on risk and protective factors relevant to shipboard personnel.