Suicidal ideation, interrupted attempt, and suicide attempt prevalence among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander veterans: Population-based estimates.

There is limited information on the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and non-fatal suicidal self-directed violence (NF-SSDV; e.g., interrupted attempts, suicide attempts) among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) veterans, a population in which suicide rates have disproportionately increased. Using population-based weighting, the present study examined the prevalence of SI and NF-SSDV among AANHPI veterans (n = 552), overall and disaggregated between Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) veterans, and compared to non-AANHPI veterans (n = 16,116) who participated in the Assessing Social and Community Environments with National Data (ASCEND) study (2022). Weighted prevalence estimates were calculated, along with crude and adjusted prevalence ratios, which accounted for age, sex, and multi-racial identity. Among AANHPI veterans, lifetime estimates were 39.38% (95% CI: 33.30, 45.80) for SI, 12.42% (95% CI: 8.41, 17.95) for interrupted attempts, and 12.09% (95% CI: 8.06, 17.75) for suicide attempts. Differences in SI and NF-SSDV prevalence between AANHPI and non-AANHPI veterans were noted in crude analyses; however, few differences remained significant in adjusted analyses. Compared to non-AA veterans, AA veterans had a significantly higher prevalence of suicide attempts during military service (PR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.22, 4.76). Compared to non-NHPI veterans, NHPI veterans had a lower prevalence of suicide attempts during military service (PR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.90). These findings underscore the insights gained when disaggregating SI and NF-SSDV data between AA and NHPI veterans. Results suggest a need for suicide prevention initiatives to prevent suicide attempts during military service in these heterogenous populations.