Correlates of Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors Among Former Military Personnel Not Enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration

Abstract

The current study sought to explore suicidal concomitants, both demographic and psychological, among former military personal. The sample included 645 veterans who are at increased risk for suicide but have not yet pursued Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services. Descriptive statistics revealed that these veterans are primarily young Caucasian males who served in the U.S. Army. In terms of psychological characteristics, the current sample reported clinically significant levels of depression, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia. Furthermore, respondents acknowledged use of various substances and high levels of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. The demographic and psychological makeup of our sample was somewhat similar to that of VHA-connected veterans except that our sample was slightly more educated and reported less physical pain.

Keywords:

• suicidal ideation
• suicidal behaviors
• veterans
• Veterans Health Administration
• VHA

Acknowledgments

This material is the result of work supported with resources and the use of facilities at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System in New Orleans, LA. The contents of this article do not represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Government.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amanda M. Raines

Amanda M. Raines, PhD, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA; South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Nicholas P. Allan

Nicholas P. Allan, Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.

C. Laurel Franklin

C. Laurel Franklin, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA; South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.

AnnMarie Huet

AnnMarie Huet, Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA.

Joseph I. Constans

Joseph I. Constans, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, LA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.

Tracy Stecker

Tracy Stecker, Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY, USA; Department of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.