Citation

Kochanski-Ruscio K, Nademin E, Perera K, LaCroix JM, Baer M, Hassen HO, Englert MD, Ghahramanlou-Holloway M. Arch. Suicide Res. 2017; 21(4): 556-567.

Affiliation

Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology , Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2016.1240635

PMID

27668347

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: We compared United States military decedents who died by suicide on their first attempt with decedents who had made multiple attempts.

METHODS: Death investigation files for 217 United States Air Force (USAF) personnel who died by suicide between 1996 and 2006 were coded for demographic, psychosocial, and psychiatric characteristics.

RESULTS: Among USAF suicide decedents, 77% died by suicide on their first attempt and 23% had a documented history of at least one prior attempt, Decedents with a history of prior attempts were more likely to have an interpersonal stressor within 3 months of death and were twice as likely to have a documented Axis I diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS: There were few differences between military suicide decedents based on history of prior attempts. Further research is needed to inform military suicide prevention endeavors.

Language: en