National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report - September 2022

Part 3: COVID-19 Pandemic: Suicide Surveillance

The National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report for September 2022 provides an analysis of suicide-related behaviors among veterans, particularly in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The report utilizes data from 2020 national death certificates to examine suicide mortality rates within the veteran population.

Suicide Deaths, Pre- and Post-Pandemic Declaration

The report presents a graph (Figure 20) that displays the number of veteran suicide deaths on a weekly basis, starting from 12 months prior to the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing through 2020. The analysis aimed to identify any associations between the onset of the pandemic and veteran suicide mortality.

The findings indicate that there were no significant associations between the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic and veteran suicide mortality. The trend analysis revealed that the decrease in veteran suicide rates observed in 2020 was consistent with a pattern that began in 2019, suggesting that the pandemic did not have a direct impact on veteran suicide rates.

Comparison with COVID-19 Mortality Rates

The report also compares suicide rates among recent veteran VHA (Veterans Health Administration) users with COVID-19 mortality rates. It was observed that suicide rates were higher among recent veteran VHA users with mental health or substance use disorder diagnoses. On the other hand, COVID-19 mortality rates were more elevated among patients with chronic medical conditions.

Conclusion

In summary, the analysis of trends in veteran suicide mortality and a comparison with patterns of veteran COVID-19 mortality did not reveal any signals indicating an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on veteran suicide rates. The report suggests that the decrease in veteran suicide rates observed in 2020 was not directly related to the pandemic.

References:

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. (September 2021). 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. Link
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. (November 2020). 2020 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report. Link