U.S. Veterans' Suicidal Thoughts Surge 50% in Five Years, Study Finds

A nationally representative study published in JAMA Network Open on July 20 found that recent suicidal thoughts among U.S. military veterans rose from 9.0% in the 2019‑2020 survey to 13.4% in the 2025‑2026 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nearly 50% increase over five years. The study, which surveyed 2,636 veterans, reported that rates of lifetime suicide planning (8.0% vs 7.3%) and suicide attempts (4.9% vs 3.9%) remained largely unchanged.

Researchers identified younger veterans and female veterans as groups with substantially higher rates of suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempts. Key risk factors highlighted were functional disability, major depressive disorder, and post‑traumatic stress disorder. The authors emphasized that accurate, up‑to‑date data are essential for effective suicide prevention among veterans, a population that loses more than 6,000 members to suicide each year.