WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The study was the largest and most comprehensive ever done on the subject of Veteran suicides, covering 55 million records over 35 years, according to the VA.
"[T]he current analysis indicates that in 2014, an average of 20 veterans a day died from suicide," the release stated on Wednesday. "Veterans accounted for 18 percent of all deaths from suicide among US adults."
About 65 percent of all veterans who died from suicide in 2014 were 50 years of age or older, the release noted.
"Since 2001, US adult civilian suicides increased 23 percent, while Veteran suicides increased 32 percent in the same time period. After controlling for age and gender, this makes the risk of suicide 21 percent greater for veterans," the VA said.
Since 2001, the rate of suicide among US veterans who use VA services increased by 8.8 percent, while the rate of suicide among veterans who do not use VA services increased by 38.6 percent, the release added.
