Suicide - Statistics
by: Jerry Price - Nov 1, 2006 - comments: 4
The following figures are based on the official U.S. suicide statistics for 2002:
- Almost 32,000 people commit suicide annually in the United States.
- Suicide ranks #11 as a cause of death in the U.S. (Homicide, by comparison, is #14). More people kill themselves than kill each other.
- The suicide rate for all ages combined is 10.7 per 100,000 people.
- Suicide, on average, claims the life of one person every 18 minutes.
- Men complete suicide 4.1 times more often than women. But women attempt suicide three times more often than men.
- In the U.S., there are an estimated 730,000 suicide attempts each year.
- The suicide rate among young people has tripled since the 1950s. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death among teenagers.
- Suicide is not an inheritable trait. However, the risk of suicide may be higher for family members.
Adapted from Suicide Is a Leading Killer in America (Suicide & Crisis Center) [Accessed April 18, 2006]
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) in England found through a study that suicide occurred more often on Monday than any other day of the week. Sunday ranked as the lowest. The research suggests that there is a “Monday-morning feeling” that contributes to a person’s reasoning for committing suicide. The study also found that suicide attempts were lower before a holiday and higher than expected after the holiday, regardless of the day of the week.
Lyndsay Moss, “Suicide Rate Highest on Mondays,” Press Association Limited, August 25, 2005
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the following statistics concerning suicide:
- Males
- Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all U.S. men (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than females (CDC 2004).
- Suicide rates are highest among Whites and second highest among American Indian and Native Alaskan men (CDC 2004).
- Of the 24,672 suicide deaths reported among men in 2001, 60% involved the use of a firearm (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- Youth
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 24. In 2001, 3,971 suicides were reported in this group (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- Of the total number of suicides among ages 15 to 24 in 2001, 86% (n=3,409) were male and 14% (n=562) were female (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- American Indian and Alaskan Natives have the highest rate of suicide in the 15 to 24 age group (CDC 2004).
- In 2001, firearms were used in 54% of youth suicides (Anderson and Smith 2003).
- The Elderly
- In 2001, 5,393 Americans over age 65 committed suicide. Of those, 85% (n=4,589) were men and 15% (n=804) were women (CDC 2004).
- Firearms were used in 73% of suicides committed by adults over the age of 65 in 2001 (CDC 2004).”
Excerpted from Suicide: Fact Sheet, (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) [Accessed April 18, 2006]
Further Learning
Learn more about: Life, Suicide
4 comments (post your own) feed
1 On Apr 11th, 2007, at 9:44am, LAVIKA McKey wrote:
I feel this is a sad life.
2 On May 4th, 2007, at 10:15am, Libby wrote:
I think that this is really sad. If you feel like you can’t take it anymore you shouldn’t kill yourself. Get help. Its just to sad to think about.
3 On May 7th, 2007, at 7:49pm, Kate wrote:
My aunt whom I was very close with, committed suicide when I was about 14. Being a teen and dealing with depression myself, made it that much harder. I know a lot of people think there is no one they can turn too when they feel depressed, but I URGE you to talk to someone who can help. Losing someone to suicide is one of the most painful things a person can experience. It has changed my life forever. It has been almost 6 years since she died, and I still think of her everyday...wishing that she had come to me to talk or something. I will always feel like if I had known, I could have done something. If you feel suicidal PLEASE get help.
4 On May 8th, 2007, at 2:37pm, kell wrote:
suicide is most certainly not the way out, you dont think of anyone while your looking at the drugs that could kill you or standing on the edge of that bridge. my best friend in the whole wide world wanted to commit suicide and has come pretty close a few times. i personally do understand but people don’t always want to listen to advice..well my point is, if you know someone who is going to commit suicide and you’re not sure if they will listen to your good advice, someone will. tell someone else, i know especially if you’re a woman you are most definatly breaking the rules but it could save their life and one day your friendship. if you, on the other hand, want to die, GET HELP! seek anyone who can look after you someone or some service you can talk to that’s going to stop you. i’ve read some more of these statistics and it is sad, it’s upsetting and im only 14. i know 3 people who have commit suicide or tried to not including myself. I KNOW IT FEELS DEGRADING AND UPSETTING BUT ITS NOT THE ANSWER!