Study shows how deployment time increases risk of suicide attempt in soldiers

Soldiers who deploy twice in one year, with six months or less between each deployment, could be at an increased risk for attempted suicide during or after their second deployment, according to a new study published April 18 in JAMA Psychiatry. While the study looked at soldiers, these findings have implications for other services and the national issue of suicide.

The study, "Associations of Time-Related Deployment Variables with Risk of Suicide Attempt Among Soldiers," was conducted by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), in collaboration with the University of California San Diego, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Michigan. In an effort to continue identifying risk factors for suicide and suicide-related behavior in the military, the researchers decided to look at whether length of deployment, time between deployments, and amount of time in service before a first deployment, might subsequently influence risk for suicide attempt – elements few other studies have explored.

The researchers analyzed Army and Department of Defense administrative records between 2004 and 2009, comparing nearly 600 soldiers with a medically documented suicide attempt, to 19,034 other soldiers. Among those soldiers, those who served 12 months or less prior to their first deployment were about twice as likely to attempt suicide during or after their second deployment. This was in comparison to those who had more time to train and acclimate to the military before their initial deployment. The risk for suicide attempt also appeared to increase as the amount of time between deployments decreased.

For some soldiers, the researchers suggest an inadequate amount of time between deployments could mean less time to readjust, leading them to experience challenges like insomnia, irritability, or difficulty concentrating. Making sure soldiers have longer amounts of time between deployments would help decrease rates of stress and anxiety, but just how much time would be optimal? More research is needed, said Dr. Robert Ursano, director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress at USU. But, it appears at least six months is critical to protecting soldier health.

The researchers also suggest the risk for suicide attempts could be reduced by as much as 14.2 percent if all soldiers were in the Army for more than a year prior to their first deployment, and more than six months between deployments could also result in a four percent reduction in suicide attempts among those who have deployed twice.

"These findings highlight the importance of preparation and a rest-recovery period between deployments, in preventing suicide attempts – and these are risk factors we can modify," Ursano said.