As young veterans from the Afghanistan/Iraq wars adjust to civilian life, new risk factors for suicidal ideation might emerge and manifest differently in this group vs those in the general population, a recent study found. Researchers utilized the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data, examining differences in risk of past-year suicidal ideation between veterans of the Afghanistan/Iraq War periods, aged 18 to 34 years (n=328), and age-comparable civilians (n=23,222). They found:

• Person-year suicidal ideation rates for veterans and civilians did not differ (52 vs 59 per 1,000) and both groups shared many risk factors.

• Drug problems and perceived unmet mental health care needs, however, were vastly stronger risk factors among veterans vs civilians.

• Past-year suicidal ideation rates did not differ by veteran status among younger adults, although different risk factors per group were detected.

Citation: Logan J, Bohnert A, Spies E, Jannausch M. Suicidal ideation among young Afghanistan/Iraq was veterans and civilians: Individual, social, and environmental risk factors and perception of unmet mental healthcare needs, United States, 2013. [Published online ahead of print August 25, 2016]. Psychiatry Res. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2016.08.054.