Theu.s. Population, Have A Higher Risk Of Suicide - 884 Words

Veterans, compared to the U.S. population, have a higher risk of suicide. Suicide is a major public health concern, with suicide being the 11th leading cause of death across all ages and the seventh leading cause of death in males. Depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, access to firearms, and a history of self-harm or suicide attempts are factors that place veterans at higher risk for suicide. The increased risk for suicide among veterans has been brought to public attention, which has lead The Department of Veteran Affairs to announce the prevention of suicide to be a major national priority. In response to the increase in suicide rates, the Department of Veteran Affairs has created a comprehensive suicide prevention efforts and has collaborated with the of Defense (DoD) to develop a clinical practice guideline based on best available evidence and expert consensus (Chapman Ibrahim, 2015). The Department of Veteran Affair and the Department of Defense have created a Clinical Practice Guideline for the Assessment and Management of Suicide Risk. This guideline was created based off of scientific knowledge and research. The guideline looks for several factors to assess the risk of suicide in veterans, including demographic and family history, psychiatric factors, access to means, and protective factors. The Department of Veteran Affairs used a multifaceted approach when creating the suicide prevention program in order to reduce suicide in the veteran population.