On average, 20 veterans a day committed suicide in 2014, a slight decrease from the previous government estimate, but federal health officials are cautious about concluding the suicide problem is getting better.
Rather, they say the Department of Veterans Affairs is relying on a more comprehensive database than ever before, making comparisons to prior studies difficult and possibly offering a truer snapshot than what was captured in the past.
In 2013, the VA projected that 22 veterans a day were committing suicide. The number became a fixture in media stories and in comments from politicians and advocacy groups highlighting the prevalence of the problem. But the number was also based on data submitted from fewer than half of the states. Some states with many veterans were not part of that study, including California and Texas. Veterans groups urged the department to expand its database and incorporate Department of Defense records to identify veterans who had not enrolled in the VA's numerous programs. And that's what it has done.
Dr. David Shulkin, undersecretary for health at the Department of Veterans Affairs, told The Associated Press that the data used for the latest suicide projections came from every state and U.S. territory and was the largest analysis of veteran records ever undertaken by the department. He said the data gives the VA more information about where to direct resources and which veterans are most at-risk of suicide, but he's hesitant to make any firm determinations about the overall trend and whether it's getting better.
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16 comments:
Fighting foreign wars and destroying foreign countries on behalf of Corporate America must be very hard to live with?
I feel sorry for these Vets.
I bet these suicides are related to the drug use problems both prescription and heroin. Afghanistan should have been left alone. The USSR found out the hard way that those poppy fields were very difficult to control. Afghani are extremely religious people and resent the poppy trade.
YOU MUST STOP TAKING THE PILLS THEY GIVE YOU!!!!
Seriously, get your loved ones off the depression meds they give you, whether civilian or vet....everyone that takes those pills eventually commits suicide!! They dont want any experienced military people available in the near future.
Wonder if anyone has seen the relationship between this ill treatment from the VA towards our vets and the reason our military is at its lowest since before WWII? Just wondering.
There are lies, damn lies, and statistics. What veterans are included in these statistics? Vets discharged in the last 5 years? Last twenty years? Last 40 years? Or any veteran no matter how long discharged or any age? I don't mean to make light of the plight of veterans but it's possible many of these suicides have no direct correlation to military service.
Wouldn't you if your Commander in Chief was an illegal Muslim from Kenya!!
Anonymous said...
I bet these suicides are related to the drug use problems both prescription and heroin. Afghanistan should have been left alone. The USSR found out the hard way that those poppy fields were very difficult to control. Afghani are extremely religious people and resent the poppy trade.
July 8, 2016 at 4:04 PM
Why don't you stick that drug use sh!t up your a$$! I am sick and tired of you dumb morons blaming everything on prescription drugs! Is that the best you can come up with.
My wife recently had back surgery and some of the pain meds she was given had warnings about 'suicidal thoughts' and personality changes.. I've seen that also related to anti-depressants.
I think many vets are using prescription drugs for injuries/illnesses, and that may be a big factor.
Would be wonderful if one of these vets killed Obama and Hillary first, then let the Secret Service off him.
4:04
Yes. You obviously know very little about Big Pharma.
Try reading a bit.
The problem is we can't get any help at all!! Yea now after all the backlash you will be seen but forget about getting proper benefits and care!! Here's one for you if I get my meds through the VA I have to pay for 90 day supply then the VA bills my insurance for their allowance and I have to pay my monthly primary insurance premium in top of all that. They also do the same for any office visits for service connected disability. So if I go to VA their actually making money. But don't try to get covered for any recurring or new illness
So I am 67 years old and was discharged from the Navy 50 years ago. If I commit suicide is that considered service related?
Brain fart! I was discharged 40 years ago, not 50.
7:12/7:13 thank you for your dedicated service!
Hey brain fart yea I had a dear friend that was discharged from USMC after Vietnam and developed cancer and died drom agent orange exposure so it's really hard to say what you might develop after discharge. I personally have developed severe stomach problems from the water supply at camp lejuene bring contaminated with cleaning solvents that the VA us now accepting responsibility for but I can't get hrlp until my stomach problems turn into cancer that's your government for you
Vets and their loved ones,
regarding this, take a look at this site for help:
www.veterancaregiver.com
It is run by a woman who specializes in helping vets and their families and she is NOT government - tons of resources and help
Paladin
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