A national survey of self-reported mental health of Veterans pursuing post-secondary education in Canada

Abstract

Lay Summary This article details self-reported mental health symptoms among Canadian Veterans pursing post-secondary education in Canada. Participants reported high prevalence of psychological symptoms, most notably feeling exhausted (80.5%) and overwhelmed (78.9%). More than 1 in 10 respondents reported seriously considering suicide (13.4%), and 5.9% had attempted suicide in the past 12 months. Furthermore, 8.7% of respondents had indicated intentional self-harm (cut, burned, bruised, or otherwise injured themselves) within the past 12 months. The findings reflect significant mental health symptoms for Veterans attending Canadian colleges and universities, underscoring the need to provide tailored services to safely integrate Veterans to campus life.