Time to Suicide and Suicide Attempt among Army Enlisted Soldiers’ First Year of Service

Abstract

A soldier’s first year of military service is a critical period of transition where the risk of suicidal behavior may be increased. This study described time to initial suicide attempts and death by suicide among U.S. Army soldiers in their first year of service. Between Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 and FY 2016, a retrospective cohort (n = 407,401) included 376 soldiers who attempted suicide and 29 soldiers who died by suicide in their first service year. Suicide attempt and suicide cases were identified through the Department of Defense Suicide Event Report (DoDSER). The median time to event was 6.4 months for soldiers who attempted suicide and 9 months for soldiers who died by suicide. Approximately 10% of the suicide attempts occurred during the first month, and most suicides (97%) occurred after the first three months of the study period. These results highlight an opportunity for early behavioral healthcare intervention among new soldiers. The implementation of a tailored means reduction strategy for new soldiers after the initial training period may be beneficial. Future research, including a longer follow-up period, is needed to elucidate further the characteristics and unique stressors among new soldiers and how these stressors impact suicidal behavior within this population.

Keywords:

• Suicide
• suicide attempt
• military
• service member
• new soldier

Acknowledgements

Analytic support was provided by the Behavioral and Social Health Outcomes Program of the U.S. Army Public Health Center. The authors would like to acknowledge support from the following individual: Kenneth Cox, MD, MPH.

Human participant protection

The Public Health Review Board of the US Army Public Health Center approved this study as Public Health Practice under number 17-550.

Project support

This project was supported in part by an appointment to the Research Participation Program for the U.S. Army Public Health Center administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Army Public Health Center.

Disclaimers

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Department of the Army, U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.