Leo Sher, M.D.

A research report, “Suicide attempt history in veterans receiving treatment for gambling disorder: Demographic and psychiatric associates” has been published in Military Medicine online ahead of print (1).

The authors performed a retrospective analysis of data from 603 United States veterans who received inpatient treatment for gambling disorder at a Veterans Affairs Hospital in 2010 – 2024. Gambling disorder and comorbid diagnoses were determined at intake through clinician interviews and assessment. The South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency Scale (UPPS-P) were used to examine gambling severity and impulsivity.

The authors found that suicide attempt history is common in veterans receiving treatment for gambling disorder, with over 40% reporting a history of suicide attempts. Veterans who reported a past suicide attempt were more likely to be nonstrategic gamblers, to have a current psychiatric diagnosis, and to report greater levels of impulsivity. Women veterans were especially likely to report a suicide attempt history (60% of women in the sample). Also, veterans who reported their suicide attempt was related to gambling were more likely to be a strategic gambler, had greater gambling severity, and impulsivity. The authors conclude that it is important to customize treatment for veterans with gambling disorder to target potential risk factors for suicide.

Reference

1. Valle Frias KA, Grubbs JB, Chapman H, Kraus SW. Suicide attempt history in Veterans receiving treatment for gambling disorder: Demographic and psychiatric associates. Mil Med. 2025 Sep 24:usaf441. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usaf441. Epub ahead of print.