Army STARRS Historical Administrative Data Study (HADS): Looking at the Past
The Army Study to Assess Risk and Resilience in Servicemembers (Army STARRS) is an unprecedented research study focusing on factors that affect a soldier’s risk of suicide. In order to get a complete picture of Army life, the study’s five main components look at both new and existing data. The New Soldier Study and All Army Study collect survey data directly from soldier volunteers while the Historical Administrative Data Study (HADS) uses data already on file with the Army and the Department of Defense (DoD).
The Army and the DoD routinely gather and store information about soldiers during their Army service. HADS uses Army and DoD administrative records (medical, legal, personnel, etc.) to look for predictors of suicide in data on soldiers’ characteristics, experiences, and exposures. Through a data use agreement, Army STARRS investigators received de-identified administrative information on all Regular Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard soldiers who served on active duty at any point from 2004 to 2009. These administrative data were pulled from a number of different sources and have not been linked outside the Army – until now.