At least 60,000 U.S. veterans have committed suicide over the span of a decade, according to a report released Friday by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The report highlighted data from 2008 to 2017 and found the veteran suicide rate was 1.5 times the rate of non-veterans.
Firearms were the method of suicide in nearly 71% of male veteran deaths and 43.2% of female veteran suicide deaths in 2017.
There is "no all-encompassing explanation for suicide" says the VA's 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report.
Still, the agency has identified key factors among victims who were enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration.
Homeless veterans, veterans who experienced sleep disorders, pain diagnosis, brain injuries, and mental health issues had higher suicide rates.
Social isolation was also found to be a major indicator, with higher suicide rates among those who were divorced, widowed, or never married.
"VA is working to prevent suicide among all veterans, whether they are enrolled in VA healthcare or not," VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said in a statement. "That's why the department has adopted a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention, using bundled strategies that cut across various sectors – faith communities, employers, schools, and healthcare organizations, for example – to reach veterans where they live and thrive."
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