Sex Differences in Suicide, Lethal Means, and Years of Potential Life Lost Among Veterans With Substance Use Disorder

IF 2.8 2区医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Womens Health Issues Pub Date : 2025-05-01 DOI:10.1016/j.whi.2025.02.002

Amar D. Mandavia MA, PhD , Anne N. Banducci PhD , Tracy L. Simpson PhD , Brian P. Marx PhD , Sage E. Hawn PhD , Justeen Hyde PhD , Victoria E. Ameral PhD , Rebecca E. Sistad Hall PhD , Clara E. Roth BA , Alexis A. Sarpong MPH , Michael Davenport MA , Frank Meng PhD , Michael D. Stein MD , Nicholas A. Livingston PhD

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Veterans with substance use disorders (SUDs) are at elevated risk of dying by suicide. We examined sex and age differences in rates and means of suicide death among veterans with alcohol (AUD) and/or opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses.

Methods

We studied a cohort of veterans with AUD and/or OUD diagnoses who received Veterans Health Administration care and died of any cause between January 2016 and December 2020. We assessed the risk of suicide death and lethal means by sex, age, and their interaction.

Results

Among veterans with AUD and/or OUD, 119,693 died of any cause during the study period. Suicides represented 4.5% of all deaths (n = 5,419), with women being 2.25 times (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.97–2.55) more likely to die by suicide than men and dying at significantly younger ages than men. Suicide deaths accounted for 21.28 and 32.25 years of potential life lost for men (mean age, 52.92 ± 14.81 years) and women (mean age, 47.65 ± 11.52 years), respectively. Intentional poisoning was the most common means of suicide death for both men and women. Women were 2.08 times (95% CI, 1.61–2.71) more likely to die by poisoning-related suicide than men. Men were 1.73 times (95% CI, 1.13–2.77) more likely to die by firearms-related suicide than women.

Conclusion

Among veterans diagnosed with AUD and/or OUD, women were more likely to die by suicide, at a younger age, than men. Poisoning was the primary means of suicide death for men and women. These national-level data highlight the urgency of suicide risk assessment and prevention among women veterans with substance use disorder.

查看原文本刊更多论文

有药物使用障碍的退伍军人在自杀、致命手段和潜在生命损失年数方面的性别差异。

背景：患有物质使用障碍（sud）的退伍军人死于自杀的风险较高。我们检查了患有酒精（AUD）和/或阿片类药物使用障碍（OUD）诊断的退伍军人自杀死亡率和方式的性别和年龄差异。方法：我们研究了一组在2016年1月至2020年12月期间接受退伍军人健康管理局护理并因任何原因死亡的AUD和/或OUD诊断的退伍军人。我们根据性别、年龄及其相互作用评估自杀死亡和致死方式的风险。结果：在患有AUD和/或OUD的退伍军人中，研究期间有119,693人死于任何原因。自杀占所有死亡人数的4.5% (n = 5,419)，其中女性死于自杀的可能性是男性的2.25倍（95%置信区间[CI]， 1.97-2.55），且死亡年龄明显低于男性。自杀死亡分别占男性（平均年龄52.92±14.81岁）和女性（平均年龄47.65±11.52岁）潜在寿命损失的21.28年和32.25年。对男性和女性来说，故意中毒是最常见的自杀死亡方式。女性死于中毒相关自杀的可能性是男性的2.08倍（95% CI, 1.61-2.71）。男性死于枪支相关自杀的可能性是女性的1.73倍（95% CI, 1.13-2.77）。结论：在诊断为AUD和/或OUD的退伍军人中，女性比男性更容易在年轻时自杀。中毒是男性和女性自杀死亡的主要手段。这些国家级的数据强调了对有药物使用障碍的女退伍军人进行自杀风险评估和预防的紧迫性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Womens Health Issues Multiple-

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

6.20%

发文量

审稿时长

32 days

期刊介绍： Women"s Health Issues (WHI) is a peer-reviewed, bimonthly, multidisciplinary journal that publishes research and review manuscripts related to women"s health care and policy. As the official journal of the Jacobs Institute of Women"s Health, it is dedicated to improving the health and health care of all women throughout the lifespan and in diverse communities. The journal seeks to inform health services researchers, health care and public health professionals, social scientists, policymakers, and others concerned with women"s health.