Veterans at greater risk of suicide

OTTAWA — A landmark study from Veterans Affairs Canada appears to confirm what many have long feared: Canadians who have served in uniform are at greater risk of taking their own lives than members of the general public.

The results showed that the risk of suicide among male veterans of all ages was 36 per cent higher than men who had never served in the Canadian military, which was cause for concern.

But even more worrying was that the risk was significantly higher among younger male veterans, with those under 25 being 242 per cent more likely to kill themselves than non-veterans of the same age.

The risk among female veterans was also found to be alarmingly high — 81 per cent greater than for women who hadn’t served. Age was not considered as great a factor when it came to women who had worn a uniform.

The statistical study did not delve into the reasons veterans are at greater risk of suicide than the general population, though it did say that the trend has been largely consistent for decades.

Researchers used 37 years of data from Veterans Affairs, the Department of National Defence and Statistics Canada to review the records of more than 200,000 former service members between 1976 and 2012.

Statistics Canada was unable to provide more recent data, which is why the study did not go past 2012, though officials say they intend to continue adding to the information as more numbers become available.

The study is the first of its kind and appears to confirm what until now has been only anecdotal evidence suggesting that those who have served in the military are more likely to kill themselves.

The federal government has promised to roll out more services and support to serving and retired military personnel through a new suicide prevention strategy, which was released last month.

Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan said officials will now study the results and try to find ways to improve that strategy — and ultimately cut down on the number of military and veteran suicides.

“Every one of those numbers is a life,” O’Regan said outside the House of Commons on Thursday.