Wartime Suicide Rates Rise Among US Army Soldiers

United States army suicide¹ rates have historically decreased during wartime. But a new study of U.S. records suggests that trend appears to have changed direction, with rates rising in recent years.

Researchers examined nearly 200 years of U.S. army records and other information. They found that, in earlier times, there was a decrease in suicide rates among army soldiers during and just after wars. However, the researchers report that the rate has risen considerably² since 2004.

Their report appeared in JAMA Network Open, a publication of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

The researchers cannot explain the change - or the decrease in earlier periods during wartime. But they believe documenting the trends might lead to a better understanding of the underlying³ causes of military suicides⁴.

Jeffrey Smith was the leader of the study. He heads the Department of History at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. Smith told the Reuters news agency that the increase in suicide rates is impossible to solve until you try to understand the history of it.

"We're hoping that gaining an understanding of history will help us in the fight to reduce the tragedy of military suicide," said Smith.

The military suicide rate was markedly higher in the 1800s than in modern times. Then it reached an all-time low just after World War II, where it remained "until this period of open-ended wars," Smith added.

Smith's team is hoping to launch other studies into the causes of military suicide. To learn more about trends in army suicide, they studied U.S. Army Surgeon General reports, other government publications and medical journals published between 1840 and 2018.

Rates of suicide increased starting in 1843. The suicide rate reached its highest level, at 118.3 per 100,000 soldiers, in 1883. The rate then decreased in three waves, each linked with one of three wars: the Spanish American War in 1898, World War I and World War II.

The final years of World War II had the lowest rate of Army suicides, at 5 per 100,000 in 1944 and 1945. From there, it changed little until the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, when it reached 18 per 100,000 soldiers. Then the rate started climbing during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

"It's interesting to note ... the military didn't take much in the way of active measures to decrease the number of suicides until World War II," Smith said.

Paul Nestadt is an assistant professor of psychiatry⁵ at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland. He was not involved in the study, but he noted⁶ that its findings among members of the military are similar to what has been happening in the general population.

"In the general population, there has been a 30% increase in suicide over the same last 17 years," he said.

Nestadt noted that one hopeful sign is once the military began to work on reducing suicides, the rates actually fell. "It may mean that when we do try to address it, the rates may be reduced," he said.

Words in This Story

trend – n. a general direction of change

journal(s) – n. a magazine that reports on things of special interest to a particular group of people

per – prep. for each

address – v. to give attention to something

1 suicide   

n.自杀，自毁，自杀性行为

参考例句：

• The number of suicide has increased.自杀案件的数量增加了。
• The death was adjudged a suicide by sleeping pills.该死亡事件被判定为服用安眠药自杀。

2 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

3 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

4 suicides   

n.自杀( suicide的名词复数 )；自取灭亡；自杀者；自杀性行为

参考例句：

• Since when do suicides miss twice, lay down a rug and start over? 自杀什么时候会失手二次后铺好地毯然后再试一次？ 来自电影对白
• Chris: And the reality is suicides go to hell? 克里斯：而现实就是自杀者要下地狱？ 来自互联网

5 psychiatry   

n.精神病学，精神病疗法

参考例句：

• The study appeared in the Amercian science Journal of Psychiatry.这个研究发表在美国精神病学的杂志上。
• A physician is someone who specializes in psychiatry.精神病专家是专门从事精神病治疗的人。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。