Opioids May Not Be to Blame for Rise in U.S. Suicides

TUESDAY, Dec. 17, 2019 -- In a finding that suggests most opioid overdose deaths are accidental, new research shows suicide is associated with far fewer of these deaths than thought.

"Our findings suggest that the current emphasis on the contribution of suicide to opioid-related deaths may be overstated, and that for most individuals who overdose on opioids, the primary clinical focus should be on substance use," said study leader Dr. Mark Olfson. He is a professor of psychiatry, medicine and law in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, in New York City.

More Americans Are Now Dying at Home Rather Than the Hospital

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 11, 2019 -- Most folks would prefer a peaceful death at home, in familiar surroundings with the company of their loved ones.

Now, for the first time in a century, there's a rise in the likelihood of those dying wishes to be honored.

Veterans Often Hit Hard by Deaths of Fellow Soldiers

MONDAY, Nov. 11, 2019 -- As Americans pay tribute to all veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces Monday, new research suggests that how comrades died can affect levels of grief among soldiers who served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Our goal was to better understand how combat veterans experience the deaths of their military comrades in battle or by suicide, and what factors predict the nature and level of their grief," said study senior author Roxane Cohen Silver. She is a professor of psychological science, public health and medicine at the University of California, Irvine.