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Abstract
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Veterans who recently separated from military service have high suicide rates for several years after the transition.1 It is unknown whether this risk differs by method of suicide. This study aimed to examine (1) firearm, suffocation, and poisoning suicide rates among recently separated veterans (≤5 years) and the general veteran population and (2) demographic and military characteristics associated with risk of method-specific suicide mortality among recently separated veterans ...
In this cohort study, we found that recently separated male veterans were at increased risk for firearm suicide compared with the general veteran population, adjusting for age. We speculate that recently separated veterans may have more proximal familiarity and comfort with firearms and/or are more likely to own or have access to firearms, thereby increasing their risk for firearm suicide.3 Mechanisms and processes accounting for elevated risk for firearm suicide among recently separated veterans requires additional inquiry. A limitation of this study is that we ascertained suicide deaths via death certificates, which are subject to misclassification.
These findings have potential clinical and programmatic implications to prevent suicide among recently separated veterans. One approach is lethal means safety counseling (LMSC). The White House recently called on the VA and Department of Defense, among other federal agencies, to create an interagency action plan to broadly implement LMSC.4 This study suggests that LMSC and other public health efforts that promote safe firearm storage practices might be especially important for recently separated veterans.
Language: en |