Military Veteran Mortality After Suicide Attempts
Author Information
Author(s): Weiner Janet, Richmond Therese S, Conigliaro Joseph, Wiebe Douglas J
Primary Institution: University of Pennsylvania
Hypothesis
What is the mortality rate among U.S. military veterans following a suicide attempt?
Conclusion
Veterans who have attempted suicide face significantly higher risks of mortality, particularly from suicide and other causes.
Supporting Evidence
- 18.1% of veterans in the study died during the follow-up period.
- The 10-year cumulative mortality risk was 22.0%, which was 3.0 times greater than expected.
- Leading causes of death included heart disease, suicide, and unintentional injury.
- Suicide was the leading cause of death among female veterans and the second leading cause among male veterans.
Takeaway
This study shows that veterans who try to hurt themselves are more likely to die from many causes, especially suicide.
Methodology
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on veterans treated for suicide attempts at VA facilities from 1993-1998, with follow-up through 2002.
Potential Biases
Potential misclassification of cause of death and underreporting of suicides.
Limitations
The study may underestimate the total number of suicide attempts as it only includes those resulting in hospitalization at VA facilities.
Participant Demographics
Mean age of 44 years; 91% male; majority were Vietnam War veterans.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 72.9, 83.1
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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