Suicide Rates Among Vietnam War Veterans No Higher Than Average: Study
Suicide rates among Vietnam War veterans have not increased compared to the general population after 40 years, according to December 28 JAMA Network Open research by the US Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, DC.
Between 1979 and 2019, approximately 100,000 veterans of the Vietnam War committed suicide, according to Tim Bullman and his colleagues’ thorough analysis.
The startling data also show that Vietnam War veterans, regardless of active duty, had no higher suicide risk than the general population. Approximately 2.5 million individuals served directly in Vietnam throughout the conflict, almost all of them males.
According to HealthDay, Pullman’s team identified 22,736 Vietnam War veterans’ suicides between 1979 and 2019. Their study concluded that Vietnam War deployment was not associated with an increased risk of suicide compared to the general population. That was true regardless of wartime service.
While the data is encouraging, the study emphasizes the need for health policymakers and mental health professionals to address the rising suicide rates among Vietnam War veterans, veterans from other military service eras, and the general US population.
Moreover, the researchers underlined the need to address the suicide of roughly 94,500 Vietnam War veterans over four decades, according to UPI. The study also suggested continued mental health initiatives in veteran communities.
In separate research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted a rise in US suicide rates between 1999 and 2020. American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women had a 65% suicide rate rise, AIAN males 35%, and white men 29%.
The CDC study employed age-specific suicide data from the WONDER database and 1999-2020 U.S. population projections. Using the 2000 5-year age- and sex-specific population, it estimated age-standardized suicide death rates per 100,000 people by method and race to analyze trends.
Between 1999 and 2020, 837,000 Americans committed suicide. White male suicide rates are highest, climbing 29% from 21.5 in 1999 to 27.8 in 2020.
Though lower than white men’s suicide rates, AIAN men’s suicide rates grew 35% from 19.6 per 100,000 in 1999 to 26.5 in 2020, while AIAN women rose 65% from 4.6 per 100,000 in 1999 to 7.6 in 2020.
AIAN men committed suicide mostly by gunshot or hanging, and both climbed at equal rates between 1999 and 2020. While AIAN women’s hanging rates climbed about 200%, from 1.4 to 4.1 in the same period.
Lead researcher Bibha Dhungel of Waseda University in Tokyo emphasized race-relevant suicide prevention strategies, particularly at the community level.
The findings underscore the need to address underlying mental health issues in AIAN populations and emphasize the importance of implementing community-based suicide prevention strategies tailored to specific racial groups, Dhungel noted, as quoted by Medscape.
Authorities remind the public that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides instant mental health crisis assistance. The National Institute for Mental Health recommends seeking professional mental health treatment for persistent and aggravating symptoms lasting more than two weeks.
Signs include sleep disturbances, appetite changes that cause weight fluctuations, mood-related morning lethargy, difficulty focusing, decreased interest in enjoyable activities, and an inability to perform daily tasks and responsibilities.
