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Objective To develop and use planning maps to prioritize and facilitate county‐level recruitment for Together With Veterans (TWV), community‐based rural Veteran suicide prevention program. Method Choropleth maps were created for 49 U.S. states, with four mutually exclusive categories indicating eligibility for the TWV program and increasing levels of need assigned to each county based on (a) percent Veterans Health Administration enrollees residing in rural communities, (b) percent population that are Veterans, and (c) crude suicide mortality rate. Results Of 3113 counties, 78.2% were eligible for TWV and 25.8% met our highest priority definition. A national map and state map were provided to demonstrate final products used to engage stakeholders. A table of recommendations for creating and using planning maps was provided for future projects to reference. Conclusions Geographic information system (GIS) is useful for identifying and prioritizing counties that may benefit most from a rural Veteran suicide prevention program. Choropleth maps allow for dissemination of information about county suicide risk and need for suicide prevention to community members, researchers, and others with a vested interest in suicide reduction. The maps are one tool among many which can support decision‐makers in focusing available resources on populations with the most need.

Objective The purpose of this study was to develop a conceptual model of community‐based veteran peer suicide prevention. Method We conducted a qualitative study in which semi‐structured interviews were followed by three focus groups. Participants (n = 17) were chosen from community‐based organizations who had peers working on veteran suicide prevention; the sample included veteran peers, non‐peers, program managers, and community stakeholders. Interview data were analyzed thematically and inductively to identify key components and subcomponents of veteran peer suicide prevention. A draft model was shared with each focus group to elicit feedback and refine key concepts. Results A conceptual model containing nine components and twenty‐six subcomponents was developed. Participants emphasized key organizational, relational, and practical elements needed to achieve positive outcomes. In addition, they described critical contextual and cultural factors that impacted veteran peers’ ability to prevent suicide and promote overall wellness. Conclusions Community‐based veteran peer efforts are a promising public health approach to preventing veteran suicide. Provided veteran peers are supported and fully allowed to contribute, these efforts can complement existing clinic‐based efforts. Future research on community‐based veteran peer suicide prevention should document a range of outcomes (e.g., clinical, wellness, financial) and allow for considerable flexibility in peer approaches.

PURPOSE Suicide rates continue to be significantly higher in rural compared to urban communities in the United States, with the suicide rate disparity continuing to grow since 1999. This systematic review synthesizes rural-specific factors related to increased suicide risk. METHODS OVID Medline, EMBASE, OVID PsycINFO, Web of Science, SocINDEX, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched for articles published after 2003 investigating rural adult suicide in the United States. Selection criteria were: (1) study participants > 18 years old; (2) included rural participants or communities; (3) included suicidal self-directed violence outcomes; (4) within the United States; (5) published after 2003; (6) presented peer-reviewed original data; (7) identified rural-specific risk or protective factors for suicide or barriers to treatment. FINDINGS Of the 1,058 records screened, 34 studies were included. The strength of evidence was relatively stronger for individual level factors including lethal means, alcohol and substance use. CONCLUSIONS Access to firearms is strongly related to elevated rural US suicide rates, with substance use, economic stress, and behavioral health care utilization as additional individual level factors that may contribute to the disparity. At the community level, economic distress and access to care were commonly identified factors. Future research should better quantify how risk factors contribute to rural suicide and examine interdependence across social-ecological levels. Suicide prevention efforts for the rural United States must address access to lethal means, in particular the use of firearms, and navigate limited access to quality behavioral health care.