TABLE 3—
Patient Characteristics and Treatment Received on Last Visit Before Suicide Among Male Veterans: Fiscal Year 2000–2007
| Characteristic or Treatment Received | Total Samplea (n = 2964; 100%), % | SUD (n = 312; 10.5%), % | Mental Health (n = 973; 32.8%), % | Other Medical Contact (n = 1679; 56.6%), % | χ2 | P |
| Race | ||||||
| White | 76.5 | 74.0 | 79.5 | 75.2 | 7.4 | .025 |
| Black | 6.1 | 3.9 | 6.2 | 6.5 | 3.2 | .199 |
| Other | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.2 | .896 |
| Missing | 16.3 | 21.2 | 13.3 | 17.1 | 12.8 | .017 |
| Age, y | ||||||
| 18–44 | 35.3 | 43.5 | 42.2 | 29.7 | 51.8 | < .001 |
| 45–64 | 56.5 | 53.5 | 54.7 | 58.2 | 4.3 | .114 |
| ≥ 65 | 8.2 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 12.1 | 77.7 | < .001 |
| Psychiatric conditions | ||||||
| Major depression | 32.8 | 33.7 | 43.4 | 26.6 | 79.0 | < .001 |
| Other anxiety disorder | 28.3 | 23.1 | 34.6 | 25.6 | 29.4 | < .001 |
| PTSD | 23.9 | 21.5 | 30.9 | 20.3 | 39.8 | < .001 |
| Bipolar disorder | 19.2 | 15.4 | 29.6 | 13.9 | 101.4 | < .001 |
| Personality disorder | 15.4 | 11.9 | 23.5 | 11.3 | 77.4 | < .001 |
| Schizophrenia | 13.1 | 5.8 | 24.5 | 7.9 | 165.6 | < .001 |
| ≥ 2 Psychiatric conditions | 49.5 | 42.3 | 68.1 | 40.0 | 202.8 | < .001 |
| Substance abuse | ||||||
| Alcohol | 83.4 | 89.1 | 79.1 | 84.8 | 22.3 | < .001 |
| Cocaine | 16.3 | 27.2 | 18.9 | 12.8 | 47.2 | < .001 |
| Cannabis | 15.4 | 19.2 | 19.7 | 12.2 | 31.2 | < .001 |
| Opiate | 13.9 | 21.2 | 12.7 | 13.3 | 15.3 | .005 |
| Barbiturate | 6.3 | 5.1 | 8.7 | 5.1 | 14.9 | .006 |
| Amphetamine | 4.8 | 7.7 | 6.4 | 3.3 | 19.7 | < .001 |
| Other or polysubstance | 32.3 | 43.3 | 33.4 | 29.5 | 23.6 | < .001 |
Note: PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder; SUD = substance use disorder.
a
Patients receiving treatment in year before suicide.