• Waliski A, Matthieu MM, Townsend JC, McGaugh J, Adkins DA, Skaggs EM, Allison MK, Kirchner J. Characteristics and Context of Veterans Experiencing Serious Suicidal Ideation or Suicide Attempt by Firearm which led to Hospitalization. Archives of suicide research : official journal of the International Academy for Suicide Research. 2021 Sep 22; 1-11.
• Kaboli PJ, Augustine MR, Haraldsson B, Mohr NM, Howren MB, Jones MP, Trivedi R. Association between acute psychiatric bed availability in the Veterans Health Administration and veteran suicide risk: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ quality & safety. 2021 Aug 16.
• Cooper SA, Szymanski BR, Karel MJ, Katz IR, McCarthy JF. Suicide among Veterans receiving Veterans Health Administration Home Based Primary Care and following discharge from Community Living Centers. Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior. 2021 Aug 1.
• Hein TC, Peltzman T, Hallows J, Theriot N, McCarthy JF. Suicide Mortality Among Veterans Health Administration Care Recipients With Suicide Risk Record Flags. Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.). 2021 Jul 29; appips202000771.
• Carter SP, Campbell SB, Wee JY, Law KC, Lehavot K, Simpson T, Reger MA. Suicide Attempts Among Racial and Ethnic Groups in a Nationally Representative Sample. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities. 2021 Jul 21.

» View more Citations

• High Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Bed Occupancy Associated with Increased Rates of Suicide among Veterans
  This study examined the relationship between the incidence of suicide among Veterans and acute inpatient psychiatric bed availability using occupancy as a measure of hospital strain and access. Findings showed that high acute VA psychiatric bed occupancy (>95%), not beds per capita, was associated with a 10% higher incidence of death by suicide. Extrapolated over the 6-year study across 145 hospit...
  
  Date: August 16, 2021
• Brief Training Increases Discussions between VA Providers and Veterans on Firearm Safety to Reduce Suicide
  This study evaluated the impact of a one-hour educational seminar for VA clinicians on lethal means safety, “A Public Health Approach to Talking About Firearms and Death by Suicide.” Findings showed that the webinar was effective in providing clinicians with the skills to talk with Veterans about firearm safety, and it continued to impact their practice four months after training. After the traini...
  
  Date: July 1, 2021
• Veterans Receiving Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder Have Lower Risk of Suicide/Overdose Mortality
  This study sought to determine the association between buprenorphine pharmacotherapy and suicide, overdose, and all-cause mortality among Veterans initiating buprenorphine within VA. Findings showed that Veterans who were not receiving buprenorphine pharmacotherapy on any given day had more than a four-fold increase in suicide/overdose death compared to those who received buprenorphine, even when ...
  
  Date: May 19, 2021
• VA Workgroup Consensus Statement on Suicide among Homeless Veterans and What We Still Need to Learn
  This article serves as a consensus statement by the recently formed VA Suicide Prevention among Veterans Experiencing Homelessness Workgroup – and provides a brief overview of current initiatives to prevent suicide among homeless Veterans. This consensus statement also discusses methods of conducting research within this complex subset of the Veteran population, as well as future research endeavor...
  
  Date: April 1, 2021
• Food Insecurity in Veterans is Associated with Increased Depression Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation
  This study sought to investigate the association between food insecurity and suicidal ideation. Findings showed that food insecurity in Veterans was associated with increased depression symptoms and suicidal ideation. The odds for suicidal ideation among Veterans with very low food security – the most severe level of food insecurity – increased by nearly four-fold compared to those who were food s...
  
  Date: March 26, 2021

» View more Publication Briefs

» View more Studies

• Preventing Firearm-Inflicted Suicide among Female Veterans || In Progress

  Preventing Firearm-Inflicted Suicide among Female Veterans...In this issue: Preventing Suicide among Veterans >> Table of Contents March...2021 Preventing Firearm-Inflicted Suicide among Female Veterans Feature Article

• Understanding Suicide Risks among LGBT Veterans in VA Care || In Progress

  ...» Table of Contents Understanding Suicide Risks among LGBT Veterans in VA Care...Care Feature Article The causes of suicidal behaviors may consist of a combination

• Forum Spring 2018: Suicide Prevention

  In the United States, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, and rates...to be disproportionally affected by suicide....Spring 2018 Suicide Prevention » Back to Table of Contents Research Highlight...Highlight Concerning Trends in Suicide Among Women Veterans Point to Need for More

• Forum Spring 2018: Suicide Prevention

  In the United States, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, and rates...to be disproportionally affected by suicide....Spring 2018 Suicide Prevention » Back to Table of Contents Research Highlight...Highlight VA Suicide Prevention: From Risk Factors to At-Risk Veterans John F. McCarthy

• Forum Spring 2018: Suicide Prevention

  In the United States, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death, and rates...to be disproportionally affected by suicide....Spring 2018 Suicide Prevention Compared to the general US population, Veterans...be disproportionately affected by suicide. For example, in 2014, Veterans comprised

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» View more Cyberseminars

Videos

• Investigator Insights: Suicide Prevention and Implementation 01/29/20
• Investigator Insights: Primary Care and Mental Health Integration 01/09/20
• Sleep Disorder Treatment to Prevent Veteran Suicide 12/22/17

Podcasts

• A Community Network Approach to Supporting Veterans at Risk for Suicide 07/13/2020
• Research Into Gulf War Illness 06/23/2020
• Post-Incarceration Outcomes for Veterans with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Challenges 06/09/2020
• Engaging Rural Dwelling Veterans in VA Mental Health Treatment 05/26/2020
• Moral Reconation Therapy for Justice-Involved Veterans 05/11/2020
• Understanding Who's at Risk for Food Insecurity 04/14/2020
• Research to Reduce Veteran Suicide 12/09/2019
• Community Clergy Training Program to Improve Rural Veterans' Mental Health 12/20/2018
• Peer Coaching and Web-based Interventions to Help Veterans with Serious Mental Illness Better Manage Their Weight 06/26/2018
• Neurocognitive Risk Factors and Suicide Prevention 07/19/2017

Other Resources

• Visit the VA Office of Mental Health Services’ patient information page on suicide prevention.
• Access the VA's 2005-2016 National Suicide Data Report
• Visit the VA’s Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention.
• Visit the VA's Office of Research & Development healthcare topic overview section to learn more about suicide prevention research in all of VA’s research divisions.
• HSR&D Suicide Prevention Research Roadmap: Transition to Veteran Status
• Implementing Caring Contacts for Suicide Prevention in Non-Mental Health Settings - A QUERI-VISN Partnered Implementation Initiative
• HSR&D Suicide Prevention Research Impact NeTwork (SPRINT)