Incidence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt based on time in a deployed environment

Introduction: Knowing when suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide attempt (SA) is most likely to occur in a deployed environment would aid in focusing prevention efforts. This study aims to determine when evacuation for SA and SI is most likely to occur based on the absolute and relative number of months in a deployed setting. Materials and methods: This is a case-control study of active-duty military personnel evacuated from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for SI or an SA between April 1, 2020, and March 30, 2021. The arrival month and expected departure month were identified for all the included evacuees. The month of evacuation and proportion of completed deployment were compared. Secondary outcomes of mental health diagnosis or need for a waiver was also examined. Results: A total of 138 personnel evacuated for SI or attempted suicide during the 12-month study period were included in the analysis. Evacuations occurring during month 3 of deployment were significantly higher (P < .0001) than those during other months. The 30% and 50% completion point of deployment had statistically higher frequencies of evacuations for SI/SA (<.0001). A secondary analysis revealed that 25.4% of the individuals had a documented preexisting behavioral health condition before deployment (P < .0001). Conclusion: Specific points along a deployment timeline were significant predictors for being evacuated for SI and SA.