Suicide in the United States Military

The mediating effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, negative mood, and social support on the relationship of war experiences to suicidality were examined. The research literature suggested a sequence among study scales representing these constructs, which was then tested on survey data obtained from a sample of National Guard soldiers (N=4,546). Results from structural equation modeling suggested that war experiences may precipitate a sequence of psychological consequences leading to suicidality. However, suicidality may be an enduring behavioral health condition. War experiences showed no direct effects on postdeployment suicidality, rather its effect was indirect through PTSD symptoms and negative mood. War experiences were, however, predictive of PTSD symptoms, as would be expected. PSTD symptoms showed no direct effect on postdeployment suicidality, but showed indirect effects through negative mood. Results also suggested that suicidality is relatively persistent, at least during deployment and postdeployment. The percentage of those at risk for suicide was low both during and after deployment, with little association between suicidality and time since returning from deployment. Additionally, few soldiers were initially nonsuicidal and then reported such symptoms at postdeployment. Implications of relationships of both negative mood and combat trauma to suicidality are discussed, as well as possible mediating effects of both personal dispositions and social support on relationships of war experiences to PTSD, negative mood, and suicidality.

Section: War Ptsd and Suicidementioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide and War: The Mediating Effects of Negative Mood, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Social Support among Army National Guard Soldiers

Griffith¹

2012

“…Yet, despite decreases in overall mortality due to illness, accidents, and homicide, suicide rates in the military have generally not shown comparable reductions, even with the implementation of suicide prevention programs. In fact, over the past decade, suicide continues to be the second or third leading cause of death among active duty military personnel (Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 2003; Helmkamp, 1996; Rothberg et al, 1987).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Strengthening the Validity of Population‐Based Suicide Rate Comparisons: An Illustration Using U.S. Military and Civilian Data

Eaton

Messer

Wilson

et al. 2006

The objectives of this study were to generate precise estimates of suicide rates in the military while controlling for factors contributing to rate variability such as demographic differences and classification bias, and to develop a simple methodology for the determination of statistically derived thresholds for detecting significant rate changes. Suicide rate estimates were calculated for the military population and each service branch over 11 years, directly standardized to the 2000 U.S. population. Military rates were highly comparable across branches and were approximately 20% lower than the civilian rate. Direct adjustment essentially controlled for the demographic confounds in this sample. Applying the Poisson-based method, we demonstrate that suicide rate fluctuations as large as 20-40% in any year may be attributed to random error.

“…Results similar to those of Yessler were reported in the Armed Forces section of Parker's (1974) volume. Recent data from the Department of Defense for 1982–1984 (Rothberg, Holloway, & Ursano, 1987) show that the age‐, race‐, and sex‐specific suicide rates were lower in the military than the civilian rates for 1980, and that the rates decreased rather than increased with age (except for the 55+, sparsely populated interval).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide in the U.S. Army: Epidemiological and Periodic Aspects

Rothberg

Jones

1987

An overview of suicide in the U.S. Army is presented in two sections: (1) the epidemiology of U.S. Army suicides, based on biennium reports, and (2) the temporal aspects of those suicides compared with the data for the United States as a whole. A brief historical review documents some of the changes in contemporary military suicide rates compared to those of the past century. The cycles in the number of suicides by day of the week, day of the month, and the month of the year for the U.S. Army are computed and contrasted with those reported for the U.S. resident population.