Mental Health not Deployment associated with Suicide Risk in U.S. Military Personnel

Over the last decade more than 2,700 active duty service members have taken their life and that number is continuing to rise. A new study examined suicide risk factors among active duty and reserve military personnel across all branches of service, including the national guard.  “Service members have been facing unique stressors including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan some people have thought these deployments may have been increasing the risk of suicide.” Cynthia Leardmann from the Naval Health Research Center and co-authors compiled and linked data from National Death Registeries and the Millennium Cohort Study, which looks at the long-term health effects of deployment on service members. Researchers examined 22 risk factors. “Deployment and military stressors have not led to the increase risk of suicide. Mental health disorders including, alcohol abuse were associated with increased suicide risk.” The study appears in a theme issue on human rights and violence in the Journal of the American Medical Association.