WASHINGTON—The rate of suicide among young military veterans has increased substantially despite efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs to curb the problem, though overall veteran suicides declined slightly, according to new data to be released Wednesday.

The VA’s National Suicide Data Report paints a troubling picture for vets ages 18 to 34, for some troops who served in the National Guard or reserves, as well as female veterans.

For the age group 18 to 34, suicide rates have been rising for the past decade, but jumped in the most recent report to 45 suicide deaths per 100,000 population in 2016 from 40.4 suicide deaths per 100,000 population in 2015, the most-recent statistics available.

“These findings underscore the fact that suicide is a national public health issue that affects communities everywhere,” the VA says in a press release reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. “Our goal is to prevent suicide among all Veterans—even those who do not and may never seek care within VA’s system.”

According to the report, veterans accounted for 14% of suicides nationwide though they make up only 8% of the U.S. population. The suicide rate for female veterans is 1.8 times higher than their civilian counterparts.