Suicidal behavior in German military service members: An analysis of attempted- and completed suicides between 2010 and 2016

Abstract

Studies identified service members of the United States (US) Armed Forces as a high-risk group for suicide. A significant increase in the suicide rate in the US Armed Forces was found in recent years. To date, there is no military suicide statistic available for the German Armed Forces. This study examined attempted and completed suicides in active service members of the German Armed Forces between 2010 and 2016 retrospectively, on the basis of archived personal and medical records in the central archives of the Medical Service of German Armed Forces. The primary goal was to establish a suicide-statistic for the German Armed Forces and to calculate and compare the suicides rates with the German population. Secondary every case’s data was analysed the groups of attempted and completed suicides were compared. 262 attempted suicides and 148 completed suicides were included in this study (N = 410). The suicide rates of the German Armed Forces peaked over the years 2014–2015 with a suicide rate of 15–16/100.000 active military service members and exceeded the civilian suicide rate in Germany of around 12/100.000 people during those years, although no general trend could be determined. These service members were mostly young men (attempted suicide 81.7%, completed suicide 99.3%), at the age of 17 - <35 years old (87% attempted suicide, 68,3% completed suicide), and were employed less than 6 years in the German Armed Forces (attempted suicide 72.9%, completed suicide 46.3%). Service members with attempted suicides belonged mostly to the military North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-rank-group for other ranks (lowermost military professionals) OR-1 –OR-4 (48.1%) or to the rank-group OR-6 –OR-9 in the group of completed suicides (34.5%). Only in about one third of cases a psychiatric diagnosis could be found in the records. Most frequent diagnoses were neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders (International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision^ICD-10: F4) in 46.8%, and affective disorders (ICD-10: F3) in 43.3% of all cases. In the majority of cases there were signs for potential stressors in the private sector (attempted suicide 90.6%, completed suicide 82.6%). No typical risk factors which would enable a specific prevention could be identified in this analysis. Therefore, should preventive strategies be aiming at a multi-level intervention program.

Predictors of suicidal behavior worldwide: an integrative literature review

“…The studies also pointed to the male sex with higher data of suicide attempt and consumption worldwide, in line with alcohol use/abuse and personal/social neglect (Oliveira, Bezerra Filho & Gonçalves-Feitosa, 2014;Tsirigotis, Gruszczynski & Tsirigotis-Maniecka, 2014;Ahmadi et al, 2015;Grazioli et al, 2018;Grassi et al, 2019;Veloso et al, 2 019;Gauthier, Cole & Bagge, 2019;Helms et al, 2021;).…”

“…The manifestation of suicidal behavior is strongly influenced by gender issues. The way of self-regulation, for example, among men was focused on the problem and manifested itself in the theory of "male representation of the problem" that begins in containing emotions (excessive work is a common way for not expressing emotions), followed by numbness (alcohol consumption, self-medication and drugs) and led to escape behaviors that evolved into violence and suicide (Grazioli et al, 2018;Veloso et al, 2019;Gauthier, Cole & Bagge, 2019;Helms et al, 2021 ). Women, on the other hand, focused on emotions, getting closer to their relationship with the essence of mental suffering (Tsirigotis, Gruszczynski & Tsirigotis-Maniecka, 2014).…”

“…Barriers for police officers seeking psychiatric care are many, including veiled sanctions in the workplace. The constraint to adapt to the new attributions, the fear of being discriminated against by superiors, the possible restriction of the carrying of firearms, as well as the loss of promotion opportunities, were elements related to common stigmas and violence in the police environment and in the armed forces, which greatly hindered the search for treatment (Grassi et al, 2019;Helms et al, 2021).…”

Suicide rates in the UK Armed Forces, compared with the general workforce and merchant shipping during peacetime years since 1900

“…22 23 The overall decreasing trends in suicide rates for the three UK Armed Forces combined contrast with reports of increasing suicide rates in the US military from 2001 to 2008, 24 and a stable trend in the German military from 2010 to 2016. 25 The low overall suicide rate of 8 per 100 000 in the UK (male) Armed Forces since 2000 is lower than 19 per 100 000 in the French military from 2006 to 2010, 26 13 in the German military from 2010 to 2016, 25 and approximately 15 in the US military from 2001 to 2008. 24 This may reflect variation in recruitment patterns, differing combat deployments and uptake of preventative measures.…”

Influence of the Reasons for Living on Suicide Behavior in Soldiers with Suicide Attempts

“…성인 경우 [7,8], 22세 미만의 연령 [7,8], 경제적 문제 [8], 짧은 복 무기간 [7,8], 낮은 계급 [8]과 같은 일반적 특성과 신체적 건강 문제 [8]나 물질사용장애 [7][8][9], 우울장애 [10], PTSD나 학대 [11],…”