The following is a summary of a story written by Shantell Kirkendoll on Duke University School of Medicine .
Veterans who are under financial stress are more likely to die by suicide within a year than those without financial difficulties, a new study led by Duke researchers shows.
A drop in credit score or a missed mortgage payment were found to be linked to increased suicide risk. According to the research, repossession of a big asset like a car almost doubled this risk.
Past studies on the topic often analyze information self-reported through surveys, but lead author Eric B. Elbogen , clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine , followed a different approach.
Working with data and funding from the Department of Veteran Affairs, Elbogen and the team were able to combine health and financial records of thousands of veterans who died by suicide and compare them with the records of living veterans. Even when adjusting for other factors like depression, financial status still was a strong, independent predictor of suicide.
Elbogen and colleagues also found a bright spot: Those veterans who were participating in VA Healthcare showed a less pronounced effect of financial stress.
"Being connected to healthcare and support services appears to provide some protection," Elbogen said. "That's an important signal for how we might intervene earlier."
Elbogen suggests healthcare providers consider including questions about financial health when screening patients for suicide risk. And, though this research was conducted in veterans, the findings could help healthcare professionals who treat all kinds of patients.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support: Call or text the 988 Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . Counselors are available 24 hours a day to listen and provide free and confidential support.
Learn more about how federally funded Duke Research Saves Lives in the full story on Duke University School of Medicine .
