July 24: Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among U.S. military veterans, claiming more than 6,000 lives each year. Although suicide prevention efforts have expanded in recent years, it has remained unclear whether the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors has changed as the prevention landscape and veteran population has evolved.
A new nationally representative study led by researchers at the National Center for PTSD and Yale School of Medicine found that the prevalence of recent suicidal thoughts among U.S. veterans increased by nearly 50% over the past five years. The findings, published July 20 in JAMA Network Open, show that while suicidal thoughts have become more common, the prevalence of suicide planning and suicide attempts has remained relatively stable.
Researchers analyzed data from the 2025–2026 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a population-based survey of 2,636 U.S. military veterans. The study updated national estimates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, identified factors associated with suicide risk, and examined mental health treatment use among veterans with a history of suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
“Effective suicide prevention depends on having accurate, up-to-date information about who is at greatest risk,” said lead author Ian C. Fischer, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and assistant professor of psychiatry. “The veteran population has become younger, and there have been increases in the proportion of women veterans and shifts in its racial and ethnic composition over the past five years, making it essential to monitor changes in suicidal thoughts and behaviors and identify the veterans who may benefit most from prevention and early intervention.”
The study found that 13.4% of U.S. veterans reported suicidal thoughts during the previous two weeks, compared with 9.0% in the last nationally representative survey conducted in 2019–2020. Rates of lifetime suicide planning and suicide attempts, however, remained largely unchanged (8.0% and 4.9% vs 7.3% and 3.9%, respectively). Younger veterans and female veterans reported substantially higher rates of suicidal thoughts, suicide planning, and suicide attempts than older and male veterans.
The researchers also identified several factors associated with suicide risk. Functional disability, major depressive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder were among the strongest correlates of suicidal thoughts and suicide planning, while adverse childhood experiences emerged as the strongest correlate of lifetime suicide attempts.
The study further examined mental health treatment among veterans reporting suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In general, veterans who relied on the VA as their primary source of healthcare were more likely than veterans who primarily received care outside the VA to have ever received mental health treatment and to be currently engaged in treatment.
More specifically, among veterans reporting suicidal thoughts during the previous two weeks, 75.2% of VA-primary users had received lifetime mental health treatment and 53.6% were currently receiving treatment, compared with 46.2% and 25.6%, respectively, among non-primary VA users. Similar differences were observed among veterans with past-year suicidal thoughts, lifetime suicide planning, and lifetime suicide attempts: current treatment rates were 53.8%, 55.1%, and 65.3% among VA-primary users relative to 25.8%, 29.0%, and 36.8% among non-primary VA users.
While promising, these findings also indicate that many veterans experiencing suicidal thoughts or behaviors, particularly those who do not rely primarily on the VA, have not been recently engaged in mental health treatment, highlighting opportunities to strengthen outreach and engagement.
“These findings suggest that the VA is playing an important role in connecting veterans at elevated suicide risk with mental healthcare,” said Brandon Nichter, PhD, visiting scholar in Yale’s Department of Psychiatry. “At the same time, many veterans with recent suicidal thoughts are still not engaged in treatment. Expanding outreach and reducing barriers to care across both VA and community health systems will be essential to reaching these individuals.”
The study’s authors note that continued national surveillance of suicidal thoughts and behaviors among veterans will be critical for evaluating the impact of suicide prevention efforts and ensuring that resources are directed toward veterans at greatest risk.
Other study authors include Peter J. Na, MD, MPH, of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale School of Medicine; Melanie L. Hill, PhD, of Yale School of Medicine; John H. Krystal, MD, of the National Center for PTSD and Yale School of Medicine; and Robert H. Pietrzak, PhD, MPH, of the National Center for PTSD, Yale School of Medicine, and Yale School of Public Health.