Suicide Awareness Prevention Webinar Draws Attention to Veteran Suicides

Disclaimer: The article discusses suicide awareness and death. This may be a sensitive subject for some readers.

During the “Suicide Awareness and Prevention Webinar” held by the Disability Rights Center of the Virgin Islands on Wednesday, the focus was directed toward the rate of suicides among veterans. Caribel A. Leyva Romero, community engagement and partnership coordinator for the Suicide Prevention Program at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System, led the webinar.

The webinar primarily addressed veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and older veterans living with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Romero stated that suicide is the 13th leading cause of death for veterans overall and the second leading cause of death among veterans under the age of 45 in 2021. Romero also mentioned that there has been some improvement between 2020 and 2021, as suicide rates have decreased by 8.1 percent for male veterans aged 75 years old and older, a 2.2 percent decline in veterans overall between the ages of 55 and 74, and a 1.9 percent decrease in suicide among recent male Veterans Health Administration users aged 18 to 34.