A new study suggests that the rate of suicide among military personnel and enlisted soldiers are at the highest among men and women who have yet to be deployed in their first tour of duty.
The researchers analyzed the data of 975,000 military personnel on active duty between 2004 through 2009, or during the period of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. At that time, about 9,971 suicide attempts were logged.
Their study revealed that the rate of suicide among newly-enlisted men and women, or those who have been serving the military for four years or less, is at 377 suicide attempts per 10,000, while it's 28 suicide attempts per 10,000 among army officers.
The number of suicide attempts were more common from among those who have yet to be deployed, but suicide deaths among soldiers who have already gone on tour are relatively higher. At least 17 percent of the study's subjects were officers.
"Looking at suicide attempts is one part of the story of how does one get from suicide ideation to suicide plans to suicide attempt to completed suicide," said Robert Ursano from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., Fox News reported. "The mental health and behavioral health issues that contribute to that risk is another."
The research also learned that suicide attempts among officers are lower because they are older, they have been married and they have attained a higher level of education. Thus, there are other risk factors, particularly among women military personnel.
The study revealed enlisted women who are single, or have had prior mental health diagnosis, or who have not completed high school as being more prone to suicide.
"Lower education is often found as a health risk factor across many illnesses and disorders. The mechanisms can be many, including earlier life stressors, social support levels, skills or knowledge for life challenges and many more," Urbano said in an email to Washington Examiner.
The complete findings was published on JAMA Network.
