The effects of misclassification biases on veteran suicide rate estimates

N. Huguet, M.S. Kaplan and B.H. McFarland

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 1, 151-155

Abstract: Objectives: We assessed the impact that possible veteran suicide misclassification biases (i.e., inaccuracy in ascertainment of veteran status on the death certificate and misclassification of suicide as other manner of death) have on veteran suicide rate estimates. Methods: We obtained suicide mortality data from the 2003-2010 National Violent Death Reporting System and the 2003-2010 Department of Defense Casualty Analysis System. We derived population estimates from the 2003-2010 American Community Survey and 2003-2010 Department of Veterans Affairs data. We computed veteran and nonveteran suicide rates. Results: The results showed that suicide rates were minimally affected by the adjustment for the misclassification of current military personnel suicides as veterans. Moreover, combining suicides and deaths by injury of undetermined intent did not alter the conclusions. Conclusions: The National Violent Death Reporting System is a valid surveillance system for veteran suicide. However, more than half of younger (

Keywords: adolescent; adult; aged; article; cause of death; classification; female; health survey; human; male; middle aged; statistics; suicide; United States; veteran; classification; epidemiology; statistics and numerical data; suicide; United States, Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cause of Death; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Population Surveillance; Suicide; United States; Veterans, Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Cause of Death; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Population Surveillance; Suicide; United States; Veterans (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2013.301450_2

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2013.301450

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