Health care contact and suicide risk documentation prior to suicide death: Results from the Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS).

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Prior research has shown that a substantial portion of suicide decedents access health care in the weeks and months before their death. We examined whether this is true among soldiers.

Method

The sample included the 569 Regular Army soldiers in the U.S. Army who died by suicide on active duty between 2004 and 2009 compared to 5,690 matched controls. Analyses examined the prevalence and frequency of health care contacts and documentation of suicide risk (i.e., the presence of prior suicidal thoughts and behaviors) over the year preceding suicide death. Predictors of health care contact and suicide risk documentation were also examined.

Results

Approximately 50% of suicide decedents accessed health care in the month prior to their death, and over 25% of suicid

SUBMITTER: Ribeiro JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5364817 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature