Health

A New VA Report Examines The Suicide Rate Among Veterans

A new report from the Department of Veterans Affairs found veterans are two times more likely to die by suicide than non-veterans.

A New VA Report Examines The Suicide Rate Among Veterans
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According to a Department of Veterans Affairs report released Monday, veterans are twice as likely as non-veterans to die by suicide. 

The agency examined data from 2005 through 2015 across the U.S., aiming to improve its suicide prevention program. It found an increase in rates of suicide among veterans, aligning with recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics on the rise in suicide rates for the general population. The findings note those rates went up more quickly in veterans who didn't receive care from the agency's health administration. 

According to the analysis, 20 veterans die by suicide each day, a number that hasn't changed since it was first reported by the VA in 2016.

If you need to talk to someone about suicide prevention, text "HOME" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741.