Mental Health

Veteran Suicide Data

2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report

The 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report includes the most recent analysis of Veteran suicide data from 2005 to 2017. The report's format is meant to clearly present complex suicide data in a practical way, convey the key findings in the clearest terms, and highlight the data-driven initiatives VA and its partners have implemented to prevent Veteran suicide.

As the largest national analysis of Veteran suicide rates, this report also examines:

• Veterans suicide rates by age, gender, method, and more.
• Suicide rates in the Veteran population compared with rates in the non-Veteran population.
• Suicide rates among Veterans who use VHA health care compared with rates among those who do not.

Please contact the VA Suicide Prevention Program at VASPDataRequest@va.gov if you are interested in learning more about prevention efforts. For media inquiries, please contact VAPublicAffairs@va.gov.

Suicide is preventable, and with the release of the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, VA urges all Americans to come together and take action to prevent suicide. Learn more about how you can support Veteran suicide prevention efforts and access resources at www.mentalhealth.va.gov/suicide_prevention.

View and download the updated report below. Because slight variations in yearly data may not be reflected in previous years’ reports, please refer to the 2005–2017 National Suicide Data Appendix file for the most current national data.

State-Level Veteran Suicide Data: 2017 Update

2017 state level suicide findings are now available as part of the 2019 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report release. The state data sheets are a critical tool to help VA and state-level partners design and execute the most effective suicide prevention strategies.

The state data sheets include:

• Suicide deaths among Veterans in each state
• Suicide rates by age group
• Suicide deaths by method compared with regional and national data

The most recent state-level data appendix release includes Veteran suicide data from 2005 through 2017. The 2005-2017 State Data Appendix includes a comprehensive analysis of suicide rates for Veterans and the general adult population, explores longitudinal trends in suicide counts and rates at the state level, and includes data separated by gender, age group, and suicide method. For the most up to date state-level information, please refer to the State Data Appendix.

VA works continually with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the DoD to obtain and report the most detailed data possible from the National Death Index. Since publishing the original set of state data sheets in 2014, VA has made strides in its ability to examine the data with more granularity.

It’s important to note that suicide is a complex issue with a multitude of contributing factors — and there is no single explanation for disparities in Veteran suicide rates across different states. The varying characteristics of a state’s Veteran population — like demographics, unemployment rates, or firearm policy — make it difficult to compare Veteran suicide rates between states or regions.

View and download the state data sheets below. Because slight variations in yearly data may not be reflected in every individual state data sheet, please refer to the 2005–2017 State Data Appendix for the most current state information.

Archives

Please note that this is archived data. The 2014–2016 national suicide data reports and 2014–2016 state data sheets have since been updated. Scroll up to the top of this page for the most recent versions.