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The Army psychological autopsy: then and now
1Division of Neuropsychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 20307-5100, USA.
Abstract:
The conduct and reporting of an Army psychological autopsy is a complex and relatively infrequent event. The details of these reports may not be completely clear to the behavioral sciences personnel tasked with collecting the data. This paper reviews the current status of the Army psychological autopsy and contrasts it with the development of civilian psychological autopsies. The current thinking of the Department of Defense Health Affairs working group on psychological autopsies is presented. The epidemiological content of the Army psychological autopsy as a scientific resource is presented in the form of an analysis of the psychological autopsies for the 1995 Army suicide data. Suggestions for updating this unique command tool are included.