title: Characteristics and VA health care utilization of U.S. Veterans who completed suicide in Oregon between 2000 and 2005.
abstract: Oregon Violent Death Reporting System data were linked with Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative data to identify and describe veterans who completed suicide in Oregon from 2000 to 2005 (n = 968), and to describe their VA health care utilization in the year prior to death. Twenty-two percent had received health care in the VA system. Of these, 57% did not have mental health diagnoses and 58% had not seen mental health professionals. A larger proportion of those who accessed care were VA-enrolled and received service-connected disability benefits. Fifty-five veterans were hospitalized during the year prior to death. Of these, 33% completed suicide within 30 days of a hospitalization. Further development of suicide prevention strategies for veterans in the community, including general medical treatment settings, is indicated.
authors.affiliation: ZoomCare, P.C., Hillsboro, OR, USA.
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basham
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Denneson
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duckart
authors.forename: Steven K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Dobscha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*