title: Postdeployment Suicide Risk Increases Over a 6-month Period: Predictors of Increased Risk among Midwestern Army National Guard Soldiers.
abstract: National Guard (NG) soldiers returning from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan were surveyed at 6 and 12 months following their return (N = 970). The overall prevalence of suicide risk at 6 and 12 months following their return was assessed, as were changes in suicide risk among soldiers initially at high or low risk. Factors associated with changes in risk were assessed. The percentage of NG soldiers with high suicide risk increased from 6.8% at 6 months to 9.2% at 12 months (odds ratio = 1.7, p = .02). In the 882 soldiers initially at low risk, 5.9% (52/882) became high risk at 12 months; in the 64 soldiers initially at high risk, 46.9% (30/64) became low risk at 12 months. Initial levels of depressive symptoms were predictive of changing to high risk; this association appeared to be partially explained by soldier reports of increased search in the meaning in life and higher levels of perceived stress. Because suicide risk increases over the first 12 months, continued risk assessments during this time period should be considered. Supporting soldiers to find meaning in their life after deployment and enhancing their capacity to cope with perceived stress may help prevent increases in suicide risk over time.
authors.affiliation: Consulting for Statistics, Computing and Analytics Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.|VA Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor Health Care System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Hyungjin Myra
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Debra Siegel
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.|Department of Veterans Affairs, SMITREC/HSR&D, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Paul N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Pfeiffer
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Blow
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Alburquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marchiondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.affiliation: VA Center for Clinical Management Research, Ann Arbor Health Care System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.|Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valenstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007493:Iraq; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis; D013405:Suicide; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult