Suicide: Fact Sheet
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Occurrence
- Suicide took the
lives of 30,622 people in 2001 (CDC 2004).
- Suicide rates
are generally higher than the national average in the western states
and lower in the eastern and midwestern states (CDC 1997).
- In 2002, 132,353
individuals were hospitalized following suicide attempts; 116,639
were treated in emergency departments and released (CDC 2004).
- In 2001, 55% of
suicides were committed with a firearm (Anderson and Smith 2003).
Groups At Risk
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).
Females
- Women report attempting suicide
during their lifetime about three times as often as men (Krug et al.
2002).
Youth
The overall rate of suicide among youth has declined slowly since 1992 (Lubell,
Swahn, Crosby, and Kegler 2004). However, rates remain unacceptably
high. Adolescents and young adults often experience stress, confusion,
and depression from situations occurring in their families, schools, and
communities. Such feelings can overwhelm young people and lead them to
consider suicide as a “solution.” Few schools and communities have
suicide prevention plans that include screening, referral, and crisis
intervention programs for 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
Suicide rates increase with age and are very high among those 65 years
and older. Most elderly suicide victims are seen by their primary care
provider a few weeks prior to their suicide attempt and diagnosed with
their first episode of mild to moderate depression (DHHS 1999). Older
adults who are suicidal are also more likely to be suffering from
physical illnesses and be divorced or widowed (DHHS 1999; Carney et al.
1994; Dorpat et al. 1968).
- 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).
Risk Factors
The first step in preventing suicide is
to identify and understand the risk factors. A risk factor is anything
that increases the likelihood that persons will harm themselves.
However, risk factors are not necessarily causes. Research has
identified the following risk factors for suicide (DHHS 1999):
- Previous suicide attempt(s)
- History of mental disorders,
particularly depression
- History of alcohol and substance
abuse
- Family history of suicide
- Family history of child maltreatment
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Impulsive or aggressive tendencies
- Barriers to accessing mental health
treatment
- Loss (relational, social, work, or
financial)
- Physical illness
- Easy access to lethal methods
- Unwillingness to seek help because
of the stigma attached to mental health and substance abuse disorders
or suicidal thoughts
- Cultural and religious beliefs—for
instance, the belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal
dilemma
- Local epidemics of suicide
- Isolation, a feeling of being cut
off from other people
Protective Factors
Protective factors buffer people from
the risks associated with suicide. A number of protective factors have
been identified (DHHS 1999):
- Effective clinical care for mental,
physical, and substance abuse disorders
- Easy access to a variety of clinical
interventions and support for help seeking
- Family and community support
- Support from ongoing medical and
mental health care relationships
- Skills in problem solving, conflict
resolution, and nonviolent handling of disputes
- Cultural and religious beliefs that
discourage suicide and support self-preservation instincts
References
Anderson RN, Smith BL. Deaths: leading
causes for 2001. National Vital Statistics Report 2003;52(9):1-86.
Carney SS, Rich CL, Burke PA, Fowler RC. Suicide over 60: the San Diego
study. Journal of American Geriatric Society 1994;42:174-80.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regional variations in
suicide rates—United States 1990–1994, August 29, 1997. MMWR
1997;46(34):789-92. Available online from: URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00049117.htm.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury
Prevention and Control (producer). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and
Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2004). Available online from: URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisquars.
[2004 June 21accessed].
Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s call to
action to prevent suicide. Washington (DC): Department of Health and
Human Services; 1999. Available online from: URL:
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/default.htm.
Dorpat TL, Anderson WF, Ripley HS. The relationship of physical illness
to suicide. In: Resnik HP, editor. Suicide behaviors: diagnosis and
management. Boston (MA): Little, Brown, and Co.; 1968:209-19.
Krug EG, Dahlberg LL, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R, editors. World report
on violence and health [serial online]. 2004 May. Available online from:
URL:
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/wrvh1/en.
Lubell KM, Swahn MH, Crosby AE, Kegler SR. Methods of suicide among
persons aged 10-19 years—United States, 1992-2001. MMWR 2004;53:471-473.
Available online from: URL:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5322.pdf.
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