Largest Study of Suicide and Mental Health in Military to be Led by Dr. Ursano
August 28, 2009
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced at a press conference on July 17 that an interdisciplinary team of four research institutions will carry out the largest study of suicide and mental health among military personnel ever undertaken. To better identify risk and protective factors for suicide and provide a scientific base for more effective and practical interventions, NIMH and the Army signed a memorandum of agreement authorizing NIMH to undertake the investigation with the support of $50 million in Army funding.
Suicide stands as the fourth leading cause of death among 25- to 44-yearolds in the United States. Historically, the rates of suicide have been lower in the military than among civilians. However, in 2008 that pattern was reversed; the suicide rate in the Army exceeded the age-adjusted rate in the latest data in the civilian population (20.2 out of 100,000 vs. 19.2).
The study is a direct response to the Army’s request to NIMH to enlist the most promising scientific approaches for addressing the rising suicide rate among soldiers since the start of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Planned to continue for five years, the study encompasses active duty Army personnel including members of the National Guard and Reserve and is designed to identify potential risk and protective factors that can change the Army’s and the nation’s treatment and care for suicide risk.
“The alarming rise of suicide amongst those serving in the military is an urgent health issue that needs to be addressed,” said the study’s Project Director Robert J. Ursano, M.D., director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (a DCoE component center). “This in-depth study of Army personnel will undoubtedly allow us to better understand the many factors that surround suicide and mental health so that we can begin identifying measures to prevent suicide.”
In addition to DCoE’s Dr. Robert J. Ursano, Steven Heeringa, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan; Ronald Kessler, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School; and John Mann, M.D., of Columbia University are participating as consortium principal investigators. The study will address a range of factors including unit cohesion, exposure to combat-related trauma, personal and economic stresses, family history, childhood adversity and abuse, and the overall mental health of Army personnel.
The investigators will consolidate information from different databases to identify possible genetic risk factors associated with suicide, suicide behavior and risk and protective factors. The study includes surveys, interviews, historical information and the collection of saliva and blood. A retrospective study will compare individual soldiers who have attempted suicide with or without fatal outcomes to individuals matching similar demographic characteristics without suicidal behaviors. For three years, all individuals entering the Army will be invited to join the fiveyear study, which may include up to 500,000 participants.