A total of 167 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers responded
to a survey that sought information on suicidal behavior during a one- year
period among patients in inpatient or outpatient treatment. Of 248
completed suicides during the period, about 60 percent occurred among
patients in outpatient mental health treatment. The incidence of anxiety
disorder diagnoses (17.7 percent), particularly posttraumatic stress
disorder, among patients who completed suicide was much higher than that
reported for persons who completed suicide in the general population. Many
patients with psychiatric diagnoses who completed suicide had comorbid
substance abuse diagnoses.
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