Navy’s attempted suicide rate nearly 3 percent

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Navy's attempted suicide rate was higher than that of the other services in 2008. The Navy has launched a suicide prevention campaign, which includes posters such as this one.


Navy’s attempted suicide rate nearly 3 percent
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 23, 2009 17:50:50 EST

Sailors attempted to commit suicide at rates significantly higher than the other services in 2008, according to a recent Defense Department-sponsored survey of service members.

The Navy’s attempted suicide rate — at 2.8 percent, or roughly 1 in every 35 sailors — was three times higher than in the previous survey, conducted in 2005.

By comparison, the attempted suicide rate in the Army was 2 percent, with the Marine Corps at 2.3 percent and the Air Force at 1.6 percent, according to the 2008 survey.

That was among many findings, which included broad, militarywide increases in illegal prescription drug use and “dangerous levels” of drinking, as service members have been subjected to the stress of war in recent years.

Combat deployment “is no doubt playing a part in the stress levels that we’re seeing,” said Jack Smith, acting deputy assistant secretary for clinical and program policy for the assistant defense secretary for health. “It’s a challenging environment.”


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/12/navy_health_report_122309w/