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VA just released its suicide report ... suicide rates are slightly up ... a thread on some trends I noticed and some potential interventions we should be thinking about https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2020/2020-National-Veteran-Suicide-Prevention-Annual-Report-11-2020-508.pdf (1/n)
The data coming in this year - since March attempts have declined, but fatalities have increased. This shows that we need to be talking about lethal means. (2/n)
Receiving care at the VHA = slight reduction in suicide deaths. This shows the importance of veteran specific care. Especially regarding lethal means, care needs to be tailored to veterans' experiences and relationship with guns (3/n)
This is particularly true for women veterans - and highlights why the women veteran specific care is so important. There is a lot we still don't know about gender differences in the manifestation of suicidal ideation (4/n)
A troubling trend is that young veterans (18-34) are making up a larger and growing percentage of suicide deaths. Generationally appropriate interventions are more and more necessary. (5/n)
A group of @USAFA_MSS cadets are working on an intervention specifically targeting early career service members and young veterans. Their work is needed more than ever! (6/n)
COVID is likely going to add a layer to this that we aren't expecting. We need to start now addressing questions like how the change in routines due to COVID is impacting veterans' ability to receive VHA care (7/n)
This is particularly true for women who disproportionately have been impacted by increased caregiving responsibilities. Are women veterans still able to receive the VHA care we know is a protective effect? (8/n)
