Citation

Basham C, Denneson LM, Millet LM, Shen X, Duckart J, Dobscha SK. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2011; 41(3): 287-296.

Affiliation

Chandra Basham, ZoomCare, P.C., Hillsboro, OR; Lauren M. Denneson, Portland Center for the Study of Chronic, Comorbid Physical and Mental Disorders, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR; Lisa Millet, Xun Shen, Oregon Public Health Division, Portland, OR; Jonathan Duckart, Portland Center for the Study of Chronic, Comorbid Physical and Mental Disorders, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR; and Steven K. Dobscha, Portland Center for the Study of Chronic, Comorbid Physical and Mental Disorders, Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1943-278X.2011.00028.x

PMID

21463353

Abstract

Oregon Violent Death Reporting System data were linked with Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative data to identify and describe veterans who completed suicide in Oregon from 2000 to 2005 (n = 968), and to describe their VA health care utilization in the year prior to death. Twenty-two percent had received health care in the VA system. Of these, 57% did not have mental health diagnoses and 58% had not seen mental health professionals. A larger proportion of those who accessed care were VA-enrolled and received service-connected disability benefits. Fifty-five veterans were hospitalized during the year prior to death. Of these, 33% completed suicide within 30 days of a hospitalization. Further development of suicide prevention strategies for veterans in the community, including general medical treatment settings, is indicated.

Language: en