Article

2007-11-15 Home Front: WoT

CBS: 'Stunning' veteran suicide rate is twice that of non-veterans

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Posted by Delphi 2007-11-15 09:40|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 This story, despite coming from CBS News, does not sound totally implausible to me. And if something can be done to help, then it should.
That said, given that it comes from CBS News, I question whether the statistics are actually being interpreted honestly - are the comparison samples properly controlled for other variables, like sex, age, geographic origin, etc?
(Aside: my cousin was a Vietnam vet, and committed suicide, but given other circumstances of his life, predating his service, I doubt the two had anything to do with each other.)

Posted by Glenmore">Glenmore 2007-11-15 11:55|| 2007-11-15 11:55|| Front Page Top

#2 This article smells. A year or two ago, suicide rates of Iraq veterans were trumped up by the press. It was finally determined that Iraq vets had a lower suicide rate than the national average once gender and age were taken into account

Posted by ed 2007-11-15 12:03|| 2007-11-15 12:03|| Front Page Top

#3 LIES! DAMNED LIES!
It's another example of "How to Lie with Statistics". Details here:
http://www.bloggernews.net/111684

Posted by Darrell 2007-11-15 12:09|| 2007-11-15 12:09|| Front Page Top

#4 Vets from what wars, what age, a detail please. How did they come up with the trend line? What was the amount last year? How far back in years are the stats taken? Was the 25 million subtracted from the total population when comparing to national? Stats and Polls are crap.

Posted by swksvolFF 2007-11-15 12:40|| 2007-11-15 12:40|| Front Page Top

#5 What about the MSM contribution to the trend? They certainly ain't helping morale!

On a sadder note, my next door neighbor is a Lt. Colonel in the Army Reserve, and lost his son last year to suicide, after he returned from Afghanistan.

I don't even have a clue how to express my sorrow.

Posted by Bobby 2007-11-15 13:02|| 2007-11-15 13:02|| Front Page Top

#6 swksvolFF, visit the link I posted (#3) and you'll see EXACTLY how CBS produced this statistical scam.

Posted by Darrell 2007-11-15 13:09|| 2007-11-15 13:09|| Front Page Top

#7 Bobby, just telling him you don't even have a clue how to express it will suffice. I have a friend who lost a son and harbored a grudge for years with another coworker who never even mentioned it afterwards.

Posted by Darrell 2007-11-15 13:12|| 2007-11-15 13:12|| Front Page Top

#8 Its BS and has already been debunked.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2007-11-15 13:51|| 2007-11-15 13:51|| Front Page Top

#9 Thanks for the link Darrell - only had a few moments before lunch and entered my standard made fill-in-blank contest to a publicized stat story. Jack is Back! has a good link also.

It is a serious issue well known to those directly involved with/related to troops - crap stat stories like this are not made to help but to attract readers IMO.

Posted by swksvolFF 2007-11-15 14:27|| 2007-11-15 14:27|| Front Page Top

#10 basically males commit suicide at about 4 times the rate of females

thus comparing the suicide rate amongst veterans (who are between 80-95% male) to non veterans of both genders is statistical malpractice

Posted by mhw 2007-11-15 15:43|| 2007-11-15 15:43|| Front Page Top

#11 Army Releases Suicide Data, Promotes Prevention Programs
Aug. 16, 2007 Though its number of suicides increased in 2006, the Armys suicide rate still is lower than the rate for the same age and gender group in the overall U.S. population, according to a report the service released today.

Posted by ed 2007-11-15 16:18|| 2007-11-15 16:18|| Front Page Top

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