NEW VETERAN SUICIDE REPORT SHOWS POSITIVE NEWS
An all-too-relatable topic is the tragedy of Veteran suicide. War produces many negative effects, and the mental health of troops returning from the battlefield is at risk. From PTSD to mental issues stemming from reentry into civilian life, many of our Veterans are struggling. But if this dark cloud has a silver lining, it’s that Veterans Affairs (VA) has released a report with suicide stats showing a decline in counts and rates. Though there's still more to do, these are encouraging trends. Suggested read:The Proposed Holiday That Would Focus on Veteran Suicide Prevention
How Many Veteran Suicides per Day?
22 Veterans per day. This is why initiatives such as 22 A Day exist: to raise awareness of the mental health issues Veterans are facing and help them find mental health resources. Now, encouraging news shows suicide in the military community seems to be declining in 2022. With this trend in Veteran suicide statistics, 2022 may be the start of a sharper decline in suicide rates for Veterans going forward. The data pulled to provide Veteran suicide statistics in 2022 is from 2020. Here are some of the important highlights from the VA’s report:
- With a total of 6,146 deaths, 343 fewer than the previous year, this shift puts the daily average of Veteran suicides at almost 17 per day.
- From 2001 to 2020, age- and sex-adjusted suicide rates for Veterans reached their highest point in 2018 before falling in both 2019 and 2020.
- From 2018 to 2020, age- and sex-adjusted suicide rates for Veterans reduced by 9.7%.
- Non-Veteran U.S. adults, age- and sex-adjusted suicide rates also reached their highest point in 2018 and fell in a similar trend during 2019 and 2020, during which a 5.5% decline was found.
- A notable decline can be found in suicides of Veteran women, with their age-adjusted suicide rate falling by 14.1% from 2019 to 2020. Veteran men also saw their rates fall by 0.7% during the same period.
The work done by Dr. Matthew Miller and the others involved in the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report shows improvements, but that doesn’t mean the fight is over. However, it’s an interesting assessment nonetheless, especially considering the timing of the report in relation to world events.
The First Report Since the COVID-19 Pandemic
As the first to assess Veteran suicide during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report includes the most comprehensive set of data to date. Based on an analysis of trends in Veterans' suicide and COVID-19 mortality in 2020, and across numerous Veteran demographic and clinical subgroups, the COVID-19 pandemic did not seem to have any impact on Veteran suicide mortality. Though the data from the VA show encouraging signs, the negative effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt today. There are also major shifts in the military that have occurred since 2020, including the last of U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan after nearly 20 years. In addition to describing positive progress, the report notes that there's still more work to be done to continue reducing Veteran suicide rates. To prevent Veterans from dying by suicide, the VA is integrating strategic planning, operational procedures, and evaluation across VA, including VA Health Administrations, Veterans Benefits Administrations, and National Cemetery Administrations.
Veteran Suicide Resources Are Available
dialing 988 and pressing 1. Alternatively, you can chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or via text message by texting 838255. Data and message rates may apply. Preventing Veteran suicide continues to be a priority of the VA, as it continues to affect the lives of millions of Americans. Together, we can help Veterans find the right resources to improve their mental health and win a battle no one should face alone. More like this:Dial 988: Suicide Prevention Hotline Officially Changed
Image: Sgt. Melissa Lessard | 504th Military Intelligence Brigade
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