Suicide and Attempted Suicide in the Army in Italy 1986 to 1998

In this letter to the editor, the authors present data on suicide & attempted suicide in the Italian army, 1986-1998. During this period there were 76 completed suicides & 84 attempted suicides. The period of highest suicide risk was during the first & sixth months after enlistment. It is speculated the lower prevalence of suicide in the military population compared to the civilian population is due to screening procedures in the military which aim to exclude mentally disturbed conscripts & a possible “holding role” carried out by the military environment. (2 refs.)