Suicide Rates and Risk Factors for the National Guard
Abstract
In the past decade, federal and state governments have made a sustained effort to improve suicide prevention and response for the Armed Forces through funding, oversight, and legislation to enhance mental health and resiliency programs. The Department of Defenses Suicide Prevention Office (DSPO) has reported that overall military suicide rates for the Active and Reserve Components are generally comparable with those of the general U.S. population when adjusting for demographics (i.e., the military is younger and has a greater percentage of men than the general U.S. population). However, the suicide mortality rate for the National Guard (NG)a segment of the Reserve Componenthas been consistently higher than that for active component members, other reservists, and a demographically similar portion of the general population. Only the veteran population has had an equivalent or higher adjusted suicide rate. This raises questions as to whether there are risk factors that are unique to service in the Guard that could be driving the difference. Figure 1 compares the CY2016 adjusted suicide rates for military components relative to veterans and the general population.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 09, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1172032
Entities
People
- Bryce H. Mendez
- Kristy N. Kamarck
- Xavier L. Arriaga
Organizations
- Library of Congress