By Gregg Zoroya
The Department of Veterans Affairs has developed computer formulas that allow doctors to predict which veterans are most likely to commit suicide, according to a study published Thursday.
“I think this is a game changer in terms of suicide prevention overall and not just for the VA population,” said Caitlin Thompson, deputy director of the VA suicide prevention program. “I think other large medical systems are going to be able to really learn from what we’re doing.”
Using records from more than 3,000 patients who committed suicide between 2008 and 2011, scientists identified a range of factors from age, gender and race to service-connected disabilities, homelessness and hospitalizations that could be part of formula for singling out groups of veterans most at risk for suicide.
For example, scientists used the formula to identify about 600 veterans whose suicide rates were 60 to 80 times higher than other VA patients, or only 1/100th of 1%. They found a group
â 1/10th of a percent of the veteran population â who were 30 to 39 times more likely to take their lives.
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