Predisposition of Suicide Among Active-Duty and Transitioning Members of the US Military
Nicholas Roberts, Stephen Blankenship, MD, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University
The incidence of suicide among military personnel has witnessed a concerning increase in the past two decades. Suicide has now become the primary cause of death in the military, surpassing fatalities due to training accidents and combat-related incidents. In general, the suicide cases of active-duty military personnel and veterans are commonly attributed to mental or physical trauma incurred during combat or to aged veterans who suffer from addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, recent data points to a shifting trend in the demographic of individuals most susceptible to self-harm. To our knowledge, limited studies have comprehensively identified and compiled individual risk factors that increase the likelihood of suicide in active-duty and transitioning military members. Publications were collected utilizing PubMed and Web of Science, based on the association between servicemember demographics, military service characteristics, and suicidality outcomes. The studies selected were conducted explicitly on United States military personnel. The analysis of the collected data revealed a higher risk of suicide in military personnel with adverse childhood experiences and lower educational attainment. Additionally, the branch of service, military occupational specialty, and deployment history have been identified as contributing factors to an increased likelihood of suicide. Common military social habits like tobacco, alcohol and energy drink consumption have been found to correlate with higher suicide rates. Despite these findings, there is currently a lack of standardized screening tools to identify these specific risk factors in servicemembers transitioning to civilian life. Consequently, the results of this study hold tremendous potential in identifying high-risk individuals more accurately and implementing life-saving interventions at an early stage.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:asrf-2093 |
| Date | 25 April 2023 |
| Creators | Roberts, Nicholas, Blankenship, Stephen, MD |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Source | Appalachian Student Research Forum |
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