TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of substance-abusing veterans attempting suicide
T2 - a national study.
AU - Anderson, B. A.
AU - Howard, M. O.
AU - Walker, R. D.
AU - Suchinsky, R. T.
PY - 1995/12
Y1 - 1995/12
N2 - Demographic, diagnostic, and service utilization characteristics of veterans diagnosed with suicide attempt, substance dependence, both, or neither at discharge from Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) hospitals in fiscal year 1994 (FY94) were compared using the DVA's discharge abstract database. Four groups of veterans were studied: (1) substance-abusing suicidal inpatients (n = 1,459), (2) substance-abusing nonsuicidal inpatients (n = 123,808), (3) nonsubstance-abusing suicidal inpatients (n = 632), and (4) nonsubstance-abusing nonsuicidal inpatients (n = 402,906). Substance-abusing suicidal veterans had higher rates of substance abuse than substance-abusing nonsuicidal veterans. Substance-abusing suicidal veterans had a higher mean number of inpatient treatment episodes and a larger proportion of discharges against medical advice than the other three inpatient groups. Psychiatric and substance use disorders are more prevalent among substance-abusing suicidal veterans than among veterans with only substance use disorders or suicidal conduct.
AB - Demographic, diagnostic, and service utilization characteristics of veterans diagnosed with suicide attempt, substance dependence, both, or neither at discharge from Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) hospitals in fiscal year 1994 (FY94) were compared using the DVA's discharge abstract database. Four groups of veterans were studied: (1) substance-abusing suicidal inpatients (n = 1,459), (2) substance-abusing nonsuicidal inpatients (n = 123,808), (3) nonsubstance-abusing suicidal inpatients (n = 632), and (4) nonsubstance-abusing nonsuicidal inpatients (n = 402,906). Substance-abusing suicidal veterans had higher rates of substance abuse than substance-abusing nonsuicidal veterans. Substance-abusing suicidal veterans had a higher mean number of inpatient treatment episodes and a larger proportion of discharges against medical advice than the other three inpatient groups. Psychiatric and substance use disorders are more prevalent among substance-abusing suicidal veterans than among veterans with only substance use disorders or suicidal conduct.
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U2 - 10.2466/pr0.1995.77.3f.1231
DO - 10.2466/pr0.1995.77.3f.1231
M3 - Article
C2 - 8643788
AN - SCOPUS:0029437630
SN - 0033-2941
VL - 77
SP - 1231
EP - 1242
JO - Psychological reports
JF - Psychological reports
IS - 3 Pt 2
ER -