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Suicide risk and precipitating circumstances among young, middle-aged, and older male veterans

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  • Kaplan, M.S.
  • McFarland, B.H.
  • Huguet, N.
  • Valenstein, M.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of suicide among veteran men relative to nonveteran men by age and to examine the prevalence of suicide circumstances among male veterans in different age groups (18-34, 35- 44, 45-64, and ≥ 65 years). Methods: Data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (2003-2008) were used to calculate age-specific suicide rates for veterans (n = 8440) and nonveterans (n = 21 668) and to calculate the age-stratified mortality ratio for veterans. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare health status, stressful life events preceding suicide, and means of death among young, middle-aged, and older veterans. Results. Veterans were at higher risk for suicide compared with nonveterans in all age groups except the oldest. Mental health, substance abuse, and financial and relationship problems were more common in younger than in older veteran suicide decedents, whereas health problems were more prevalent in the older veterans. Most male veterans used firearms for suicide, and nearly all elderly veterans did so. Conclusions: Our study highlighted heightened risk of suicide in male veterans compared with nonveterans. Within the veteran population, suicide might be influenced by different precipitating factors at various stages of life.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaplan, M.S. & McFarland, B.H. & Huguet, N. & Valenstein, M., 2012. "Suicide risk and precipitating circumstances among young, middle-aged, and older male veterans," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(S1), pages 131-137.
    • Handle: RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2011.300445_6
    DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300445
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    Cited by:

    1. Chris Poulin & Brian Shiner & Paul Thompson & Linas Vepstas & Yinong Young-Xu & Benjamin Goertzel & Bradley Watts & Laura Flashman & Thomas McAllister, 2014. "Predicting the Risk of Suicide by Analyzing the Text of Clinical Notes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, January.
    2. Jaesang Sung & Qihua Qiu & Will Davis & Rusty Tchernis, 2022. "Design and Application of an Area-Level Suicide Risk Index with Spatial Correlation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 77-104, May.
    3. Baek, Jiwon & Kim, Go-Un & Song, Kijun & Kim, Heejung, 2023. "Decreasing patterns of depression in living alone across middle-aged and older men and women using a longitudinal mixed-effects model," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).
    4. Haewon Byeon, 2019. "Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Depression of Elderly People Living Alone," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-10, October.

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