“This isn’t an estimate, this is the answer,” said the VA's Dr. Shulkin. Hardest hit were young veterans. The suicide rate for vets age 18-29 was 86 deaths per 100,000 for men and 33 per 100,000 for women — much higher than previous estimates, and almost twice as high as other age groups. Women were also disproportionately hit. Though female vets commit suicide at lower rates than males, those under 30 are more than six times as likely to take their own lives as women in the civilian world.
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