Annual suicide prevention report offers insights

#Middlebury #Veterans

The 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report shows a decrease in veteran suicides from 2018 and 2019 when compared with previous years. For example, 2019 saw 399 fewer suicides than 2018. Rates for male veterans dropped by 3.8% in those two years. However, the suicide rate per 100,000 was 31.6 … much higher than for non-veterans at 16.8 per 100,000.

While figures from 2018 and 2019 are helpful and it was a mere two and three years ago, it feels like a lifetime when you consider our new normal with the anxiety and stress of COVID, not to mention the required isolation. What do more-current numbers, say for 2020, show?

The Department of Veterans Affairs news release says specifically that they have “not observed increases in VHA documented suicide-related indicators during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Yet they don’t provide any statistics. Instead, they say they’ll examine suicide mortality when national death certificate data becomes available.

I assume they mean the National Death Index. It says the file for 2019 is available for searching and that the early release file for 2020 is available. From that, one can click on the whole list of states and the percentages of demographic data each has completed. Nationally, the page says, states have completed an average 96% of their data input. Some states have completed 100%.

However, you can’t just wander the stacks without an access application, as I found out when I tried. But surely the VA qualifies to access the National Death Index and could give initial 2020 figures. Of note: Of the half-dozen 2019 state files I looked at, the veteran age group most in danger of suicide was 55-74 years.

The Veterans Crisis Line is open 24/7 and can be reached at 1-800-273-8255, then Press 1. Or text 838255, or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat.

© 2021 King Features Synd., Inc.

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