Facts �鶹��ý Suicide

Suicide Prevention Program

Suicide is preventable. Most suicidal individuals desperately want to live; they are just unable to see alternatives to their problems.

Most suicidal individuals give definite warnings of their suicidal intentions, but others are either unaware of the significance of these warnings or do not know how to respond to them.

Suicidal behavior is complex and not a response to one problem that a person is experiencing. Some risk factors vary with age, gender, or ethnic group and may occur in combination or change over time.

Surviving family members not only suffer the trauma of losing a loved one to suicide, they may themselves be at higher risk for suicide and emotional problems.

Statistics are based on the latest year for which we have national statistics, 2016.

Suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. This translates into an annual suicide rate of approximately 14 per 100,000 people dying a year by suicide (44,193 a year), out-ranking homicides (ranked as the 16th leading cause of death).
The suicide rates decreased from 1990-2000 from 12.5 to 10.4 suicides per 100,000. Over the past decade, however, the rate has again increased. Every day, approximately 121 Americans die by suicide or approximately one person kills themselves every 12 minutes. (CDC)

In 2015, there were 1,104,825 attempted suicide in the United States. Approximately one person attempts suicide every 31 seconds.
It is generally estimated that there are 25 attempts for one death by suicide.
Between 25 and 50 percent of people who kill themselves had previously attempted suicide. Those who have made suicide attempts are at higher risk for actually taking their own lives.

Each suicide intimately effects at least six other people (estimated). In 2013, it was estimated that one in every 63 Americans became a suicide-loss survivor.

The most commonly reported means of completing suicide, across all groups, was by firearm (49.8%), followed by suffocation or hanging (26.8%), poisoning (15.4), cutting (1.7%) and drowning (1.2%).

Mental health diagnoses are generally associated with a higher rate of suicide. Psychological autopsy studies reflect that more than 90 percent of completed suicides had one or more mental disorders, most notably depression. (NAMI)

Rates of completed suicide are highest among those between the ages of 45-54, followed by an equally high rate for the elderly (age 80 and over).
It is estimated that elderly adults have rates of suicide close to 50 percent higher than that of the nation as a whole (all ages).

Suicide is currently ranked as the second leading cause of death for youth (15 to 24 years old) in the United States behind accidents/road traffic.
Prevalence of Suicide in College Students:

Available data suggests that suicide occurs at a rate between 6.5 and 7.5 per 100,000 among college �鶹��ýs, approximately half the rate for non�鶹��ý college-aged adults. (SPRC)
18 percent of undergraduate and 15 percent of graduate �鶹��ýs have seriously considered attempting suicide in their lifetimes. Between 40 and 50 percent of these same �鶹��ýs report multiple episodes of serious suicidal thoughts.(Drum, Brownson, Burton Denmark & Smith, 2009)
Studies suggest that female graduate �鶹��ýs are at a greater risk for suicide than male graduate �鶹��ýs and younger �鶹��ýs of both sexes. (Big Ten Student Suicide Study)
80 percent of �鶹��ýs who die by suicide never contact mental health services. (NAMI)

Males take their own lives at nearly four times the rate of females and represent 77.9% of all suicides.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the following statistics for 2001-2010 among White/Caucasian Americans:

At 15.8 per 100,000, the suicide rate for Whites of all ages was the second highest rate among racial/ethnic groups and higher than the overall U.S. rate of 13.8. (Suicidology, 2015)
Suicide was the 10th leading cause of death for Whites of all ages and the 2nd leading cause of death for young White males ages 15-34.
The highest rate in the White population, 51.75 per 100,000, was found among adult males 85 and older.
The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts of Whites have been placed at 16.10% and 4.69%, respectively.

The CDC reported the following statistics for 2001-2010 among Black/African Americans:

The suicide rate for all ages was 5.6 per 100,000, slightly less than half of the overall U.S. rate of 13.8. (Suicidology, 2015)
Suicide was the 16th leading cause of death for Blacks of all ages and the 3^rd leading cause of death for young Black males ages 15-24.
Males ages 25 to 34 had the highest rate of suicide in the Black population, 16.43 per 100,000.
The lifetime prevalence rate of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts of Blacks has been placed at 11.82% and 4.15%, respectively.

The CDC reported the following statistics for 2001-2010 among Hispanic/Latino Americans:

The suicide rate for all ages was 5.85 per 100,000, slightly less than half the overall U.S. rate of 12.08.
Suicide ranked as the 12^th leading cause of death for individuals of Hispanic origin of all races and ages, and the 3^rdleading cause of death for Hispanic males ages 15 to 34.
The highest suicide rate in the Hispanic population, 30.58 per 100,000, was found among adult males 85 and older.
The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts of Hispanics has been placed at 11.35% and 5.11%, respectively.

The CDC reported the following statistics for 2015 among American Indians and Alaska Natives:

The suicide rate for all ages was 19.5 per 100,000, much higher than the overall U.S. rate of 13.8 and the highest of all racial/ethnic groups. (CDC)
Suicide ranked as the 8^th leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives of all ages. Suicide ranked as the 2^nd leading cause of death among youth ages of 10 to 34.
The suicide rate among American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents and young adults ages 15-34 is 19.5 per 100,00, which is 1.5 times higher than the national average for that age group.
Lifetime rates of having attempted suicide reported by adolescents ranged from 21.8% in girls to 11.8% in boys and from 17.6% of both sexes raised on reservations to 14.3% of both sexes raised in urban areas.
Lifetime rates of suicidal ideation were significantly higher among youth raised on reservations (32.6%) compared to youth raised in urban areas (21%).

The CDC reported the following statistics from 2001-2010 among the Asian American and Pacific Islander population:

The suicide rate was 6.19 per 100,000, approximately half the overall U.S. rate of 12.08.
Suicide ranked as the 10^th leading cause of death for all ages and the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 15-24.
The highest rate in the Asian American and Pacific Islander population, 29.76 per 100,000, was found among adult males 85 and older.
The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has been placed at 9.02% and 2.55%, respectively.