The VA Releases Comprehensive Veteran Suicide Findings

On Wednesday, a few weeks after releasing initial findings from the most comprehensive study of veteran suicide, the VA released 46 more pages of data from their research. The study examined more than 55 million veterans’ records from 1979 to 2014. Last month’s initial release showed approximately 20 veterans commit suicide each day. On average, 14 of those 20 were not VA users. The new release investigates the breadth and depth of information pertaining to characteristics of suicide in the veteran population. Having this information will allow the VA and DOD to move forward with a better understanding of specifically how to intervene and prevent veteran suicide. In the year 2014, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for the general population, and current Centers for Disease Control data shows that number has been increasing. View the study findings.