Suicidal ideation and mental distress among adults with military service history: Results from 5 US States, 2010

J.R. Blosnich, A.J. Gordon and R.M. Bossarte

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue S4, S595-S602

Abstract: Objectives. We examined the association of military service history with past-year suicidal ideation and past-30-days mental distress in a probability-based sample of adults. Methods. We gathered 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 5 states that asked about past-year suicidal ideation. Military service was defined as current or former active-duty service or National Guard or Reserves service. We stratified analyses into 18 to 39 years, 40 to 64 years, and 65 years and older age groups and used multiple logistic regression analyses, adjusted for demographic confounders, to discern the association of military service history with past-year suicidal ideation and past-30-days mental distress. Results. Among the 26 736 respondents, 13.1% indicated military service history. After adjusting for several confounders, we found military history status among those aged 40 to 64 years was associated with both past-year suicidal ideation and past-30-days mental distress. We found no significant associations among the younger or older age groups. Conclusions. Differences in suicidal ideation between military and nonmilitary individuals may occur in midlife. Future research should examine the possibility of cohort effects, service era effects, or both.

Keywords: adolescent; adult; age; aged; article; behavioral risk factor surveillance system; female; human; male; mental health; mental stress; middle aged; risk factor; socioeconomics; statistics; suicidal ideation; suicide; United States; veteran; veterans health; young adult, Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; Female; Humans; Male; Mental Health; Middle Aged; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Stress, Psychological; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide; United States; Veterans; Veterans Health; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.302064_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302064

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