Analysis of nonfatal suicide attempts and demographic characteristics of US military veterans with opioid use disorder: A descriptive VA medical center study

Abstract

Background and ObjectivesSuicide and opioid use disorder (OUD) frequently co‐occur, and veterans are at a high risk for both conditions. This study aims to determine the characteristics of a cohort of veterans with co‐occurring OUD and suicide attempts.MethodThree hundred fifty‐three (n = 353) veterans registered at a VA medical center with OUD and at least one suicide attempt between January 2010 and December 2021 were analyzed.Results9.4% of OUD veterans had lifetime suicide attempts, with 7.1% attempting postdiagnosis. High rates of unemployment (88.1%) and housing instability (73.1%) were observed, along with a 98% prevalence of comorbid psychiatric conditions.Discussion and ConclusionsGaining a deeper understanding of this patient population can help improve strategies for preventing suicide and treating OUD more effectively.Scientific SignifianceThis study is unique in the current literature for investigating and comparing nonfatal lifetime suicide attempt rates in veterans before and after an OUD diagnosis.