Among men in the United States, those aged 75 years and older have the highest death rate from suicide among all age groups. In 2022, the suicide death rate among men aged 75 years and older was 43.9 per 100,000 population. In comparison, the death rate from suicide among men aged 25 to 44 years was 29.6 per 100,000. Suicide is a significant problem in the United States, with rates increasing over the past decade. Suicide among men In the United States, the suicide rate among men is almost four times higher than that of women. In 2022, the rate of suicide among U.S. men was 23 per 100,000 population, the highest rate recorded over the past 70 years. Firearms account for the vast majority of suicide deaths among men, accounting for around 60 percent of male suicides in 2021. The reasons why U.S. men have higher rates of suicide than women are complex and not fully understood, but may have to do with the more violent means by which men carry out suicide and the stigma around seeking help for mental health issues. Suicide among women Although the suicide rate among women in the U.S. is significantly lower than that of men, the rate of suicide among women has increased over the past couple of decades. Among women, those aged 45 to 64 years have the highest death rates due to suicide, followed by women 25 to 44 years old. Interestingly, the share of women reporting serious thoughts of suicide in the past year is higher than that of men, with around 5.5 percent of U.S. women reporting such thoughts in 2023. Similarly to men, firearms account for most suicide deaths among women, however suffocation and poisoning account for a significant share of suicides among women. In 2021, around 35 percent of suicides among women were carried out by firearms, while suffocation and poisoning each accounted for around 28 percent of suicide deaths.

In England and Wales, the definition of suicide is a death with an underlying cause of intentional self-harm or an injury or poisoning with undetermined intent. In 2022, the age group with the highest rate of suicide was for those aged 50 to 54 years at 15.3 deaths per 100,000. The age groups 45 to 49 years with 14.5 deaths per 100,000 population had the second highest highest rate of suicides in the UK. Gender difference in suicides The suicide rate among men in England and Wales in 2022 was around three times higher than for women, the figures being 16.4 per 100,000 population for men compared to 5.4 for women. Although among both genders the suicide rate increased in 2021 compared to 2020. Mental health in the UK Over 53 thousand people in England were detained under the Mental Health Act in the period 2020/21. Alongside this, there has also been an increase in the number of workers in Great Britain suffering from stress, depression or anxiety. In 2022/23, around 875 thousand workers reported to be suffering from these work-related issues.

The suicide rate among females in the United States is highest for those aged 45 to 64 years and lowest among girls aged 10 to 14 and elderly women 75 and over. Although the suicide rate among women remains over three times lower than that of men, rates of suicide among women have gradually increased over the past couple decades. Suicide among women in the United States In 2021, there were around six suicide deaths per 100,000 women in the United States. In comparison, the rate of suicide among women in the year 2000 was about four per 100,000. Suicide rates among women are by far the highest among American Indians or Alaska Natives and lowest among Hispanic and Black or African American women. Although firearms are involved in the highest share of suicide deaths among both men and women, they account for a much smaller share among women. In 2020, the firearm suicide rate among women was 1.8 per 100,000 population, while the rates of suicide for suffocation and poisoning were 1.7 and 1.5 per 100,000, respectively. Suicidal ideation among women Although not everyone who experiences suicidal ideation, or suicidal thoughts, will attempt suicide, suicidal thoughts are a risk factor for suicide. In 2022, just over five percent of women in the United States reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Suicidal thoughts are more common among women than men even though men have much higher rates of death from suicide than women. This is because men are more likely to use more lethal methods of suicide such as firearms. Women who suffer from substance use disorder are significantly more likely to have serious thoughts of suicide than women without substance use disorder.

In 2024, the 50- to 59-year-old age group had the highest suicide rate in Japan, with **** suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. The self-inflicted death rate among young people under 20 years was ***. Japan's recent suicide rates While the country's suicide rate had initially shown a downward trend in the most recent decade, 2020 marked the first year that the suicide numbers rose again. The COVID-19 pandemic likely caused this unexpected upward trend. From a gender perspective, Japanese men were more likely to commit suicide than women. **** deaths per 100,000 male inhabitants were reported in 2024, compared to a female suicide rate of **** in the same year. What are the reasons behind Japan’s high suicide rates?  Many factors are being blamed for the Japan's high suicide rates, including bullying, isolation, and a lack of a proficient mental healthcare system. Among others, financial worries and problems directly related to work have been one of the main reasons for self-inflicted deaths in the past years. Historically, the country's high suicide rates have been closely linked to the economic situation of the individuals. Japan’s suicide numbers peaked in 2009 when the country experienced its worst recession since World War II.

About ***** thousand people in the age group of 18 to 30 years committed suicide across India in 2022. Notably, majority of the suicides in the Asian country was committed by hanging during that same year.

Dataset Description

This dataset provides comprehensive information on the death rates for suicide in the United States, segmented by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, spanning from 1950 to 2020. The data is sourced from reputable public health records and aims to offer valuable insights into the demographic factors associated with suicide rates over an extensive period.

Columns Overview

1. INDICATOR: This column indicates that the dataset pertains to "Death rates for suicide." It remains constant throughout the dataset.
2. UNIT: Specifies the unit of measurement, which is "Deaths per 100,000 resident population, age-adjusted." This standardization allows for consistent comparison across different demographic groups.
3. UNIT_NUM: A numerical representation of the unit, where 1 corresponds to the unit described above. This is primarily useful for data processing.
4. STUB_NAME: Represents the broad category of the population, such as "Total" (all populations), "Male," "Female," and different racial and ethnic groups (e.g., "White, non-Hispanic," "Black, non-Hispanic").
5. STUB_NAME_NUM: A numerical representation of the STUB_NAME column, facilitating easier data manipulation.
6. STUB_LABEL: Provides a detailed description of the population category, giving a more specific breakdown of the demographic groups.
7. STUB_LABEL_NUM: A numerical representation of the STUB_LABEL column.
8. YEAR: The year the data corresponds to, ranging from 1950 to 2020. This allows for time-series analysis of suicide rates.
9. YEAR_NUM: A numerical representation of the year, useful for chronological data analysis.
10. AGE: The age category of the population, such as "All ages," "Under 1 year," "1-4 years," etc. This breakdown helps in understanding the impact of age on suicide rates.
11. AGE_NUM: A numerical representation of the AGE column, aiding in numerical analysis.
12. ESTIMATE: The estimated suicide rate for the specified demographic group in the given year, expressed in deaths per 100,000 resident population.
13. FLAG: Additional notes or flags about the data, which may include indications of data quality or other relevant information. This column helps in identifying potential issues or special considerations in the data.

Dataset Highlights

• Longitudinal Data: Covers an extensive period from 1950 to 2020, allowing for a detailed analysis of trends and changes in suicide rates over time.
• Demographic Breakdown: Provides insights into how suicide rates vary by sex, race, Hispanic origin, and age, highlighting potential disparities and areas for targeted intervention.
• Public Health Relevance: This dataset is crucial for public health officials, researchers, and policymakers to understand and address the factors contributing to suicide in various demographic groups.

Potential Analyses

1. Trend Analysis: Examine how suicide rates have changed over the decades for different demographic groups.
2. Demographic Disparities: Identify which groups are most affected by suicide and how these disparities have evolved.
3. Age-Specific Rates: Analyze suicide rates across different age groups to identify vulnerable populations.
4. Impact of Societal Changes: Correlate changes in suicide rates with significant societal events or policy changes.

Usage Recommendations

• Visualizations: Create line charts, bar graphs, and heatmaps to visualize trends and disparities in suicide rates.
• Statistical Analysis: Use regression models to identify factors significantly associated with changes in suicide rates.
• Public Health Policy: Leverage insights from the data to inform and evaluate public health interventions aimed at reducing suicide rates.

Data on death rates for suicide, by selected population characteristics. Please refer to the PDF or Excel version of this table in the HUS 2019 Data Finder (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/contents2019.htm) for critical information about measures, definitions, and changes over time. SOURCE: NCHS, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS); Grove RD, Hetzel AM. Vital statistics rates in the United States, 1940–1960. National Center for Health Statistics. 1968; numerator data from NVSS annual public-use Mortality Files; denominator data from U.S. Census Bureau national population estimates; and Murphy SL, Xu JQ, Kochanek KD, Arias E, Tejada-Vera B. Deaths: Final data for 2018. National Vital Statistics Reports; vol 69 no 13. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2021. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/nvsr.htm. For more information on the National Vital Statistics System, see the corresponding Appendix entry at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-appendix-508.pdf.

Number of suicides and suicide rates, by sex and age, in England and Wales. Information on conclusion type is provided, along with the proportion of suicides by method and the median registration delay.

ABSTRACT Objective To identify patterns of suicide trends registered in Portugal, taking into account a set of socio-economic and demographic variables between the years 2007 and 2014 in order to obtain an overview of this scourge in Portugal. Methods Using data from the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the Death Certificate Information System (SICO), suicide was analyzed according to the category of ICD10 (International Classification of Diseases), the incidence by gender, age group and region. Results The most affected to suicide are men (54,8%), over 75 years old (30.9%) and occurs in the more rural areas of the interior of the country that are more deprived of materials. The highest suicide mortality is found in the Alentejo region (12,8%). Conclusion Mortality due to suicide continues to grow in Portugal and varies according to gender, age is highest in the Central and South regions. A strategy of follow-up and prevention in the field of social action and health care is required, with important regional variations and greater vigilance on the illegal trade in firearms and pesticides.

In 2023, the suicide rate in South Korea was highest among the elderly male population aged 80 years and older, with ***** deaths per 100,000 population. The suicide rate in South Korea reached **** deaths per 100,000 population that year.

Rank, number of deaths, percentage of deaths, and age-specific mortality rates for the leading causes of death, by age group and sex, 2000 to most recent year.

In 2022, there were around **** deaths from suicide per 100,000 population among males in the U.S. aged ** years and *****. Males aged 75 years and older were more likely to die from suicide than any other age group for both males and females. The suicide death rate for males in general is constantly greater than that for females. Suicide method by gender Not only do suicide rates differ by gender, but the method of suicide varies as well. Suicide by firearm accounts for ** percent of suicides among males, but only ** percent of those among females. However, suicide by poisoning accounts for a much larger share of suicides among females than males. In 2019, there were a total of ****** firearm suicides and ***** poisoning suicides. Substance abuse, mental health, and suicide Those who suffer from substance abuse and certain mental health disorders are at a much greater risk of falling victim to suicide. It’s been found that around ** percent of those with drug or alcohol dependence or abuse had serious thoughts of suicide in the past year, compared to just ***** percent of those with no such substance dependence of abuse. Similarly, around *** percent of those with a major depressive episode in the past year had attempted suicide, while only *** percent of those without a major depressive episode had done so.

Olympic athletes: the epitome of health and fitness, role models for their communities, and competing on the world stage. Is there a cost incurred by highlighting the achievements of these elite athletes? Suicide, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is death by injuring oneself whereby death was the intent (Suicide Prevention: Facts, 2022). A person harming themselves with death as the intention but not the outcome is classified as a suicide attempt (Suicide Prevention: Facts, 2022). In the general population, suicide is one of the leading causes of death, especially amongst younger people where it is the fourth leading cause of death (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022). In 2019, the global age-standardized suicide rate was 9 deaths per 100,000 people (World Health Organization (WHO), 2021). The risk factors for suicide are multifaceted and complex, ranging from a history of mental health issues, serious illnesses, chronic pain, financial stress, substance use, adverse childhood experiences, and difficulties in relationships (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022). Differences in sociodemographic variables have been linked with suicide rates (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022). For example, the suicide rate for males (~12.6 per 100,000) is typically higher than females (5.4 per 100,000) (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022). Economic factors may also play a role given the largest portion of deaths by suicide occur in lower-income and middle-income countries (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022), yet high-income countries report higher age-standardized rates of suicide (10.9 per 100,000) (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022). More than half (58%) of global suicides occur in persons less than 50 years of age (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022) implicating stage of life as a plausible risk factor linked with death by suicide. Overall, suicide rates have been declining since 2000 with a 36% reduction noted in 2019 compared with 20 years earlier (Suicide Prevention: Risk, 2022).

Sports and athletes can be ‘newsworthy’, so there is heightened media attention when high-profile athletes die from suicide. Research examining suicide and athletes has focused primarily on collegiate (or university-level) athletes. In the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over a nine-year period, the rate of death by suicide in athletes was 1.35 per 100,000 in males, and 0.37 per 100,000 in females, both of which are lower than suicide rates for age-matched students (Rao et al., 2015). NCAA football had the highest relative rates of suicide at 2.25 per 100,000 yet this rate is still lower compared against other students matched for age and sex (Rao et al., 2015). In football, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (or CTE) has been gaining traction as one risk factor leading to death by suicide (Rao, 2018). To date, studies of suicide and athletes competing at other levels of sport (e.g., Olympics, etc.) appear sparse. One study of US Olympians compared mental disorders, substance abuse, and self-harm reported by athletes with the public noting athletes had a lower risk of death by suicide from these factors (Rao, 2018). Suicidal ideation was reported by 1 in 6 Swedish athletes competing at the international level (Timpka et al., 2019). Finally, retirement may be a factor to consider in suicide prevention initiatives given that male athletes competing in power sports (e.g., wrestling, Olympic lifting, etc.) retiring between 30 and 50 years of age were 2 to 4 times more likely to die by suicide than non-athletes of the same ages (Lindqvist et al., 2014).

To date, limited research has been reported on Olympic athletes and suicide. Further research is warranted to determine the frequency of suicide rates in Olympians plus identifiable risk factors for death by suicide reported by this cohort of elite athletes.

The near to real-time suspected suicide surveillance (nRTSSS) data for England is classified as official statistics.

This publication includes:

• data that covers the most recent 25-month period
• data that covers the most recent quarter
• additional and revised data due to occasional delayed submission

The nRTSSS data presents rates of suspected suicides in England broken down by age group and sex. It also gives an overview of suspected suicide method. It is supplemented by:

• data tables to provide access to relevant data
• a methodology document to provide an overview of data quality assessment, inclusion criteria and statistical approaches used

The primary purpose of the nRTSSS is to provide suicide prevention planners with an early indication of changes in trends of suicide to inform and enable a more timely and targeted response.

These statistics moved from a monthly to a quarterly publication (updated in January, April, July and October) in January 2025. This decision was made following recent user research. Further changes to the content and presentation will follow.

BackgroundThere are comparatively few international studies investigating suicide in military veterans and no recent UK–wide studies. This is important because the wider context of being a UK Armed Forces (UKAF) veteran has changed in recent years following a period of intensive operations. We aimed to investigate the rate, timing, and risk factors for suicide in personnel who left the UKAF over a 23–year period.Methods and findingsWe carried out a retrospective cohort study of suicide in personnel who left the regular UKAF between 1996 and 2018 linking national databases of discharged personnel and suicide deaths, using survival analysis to examine the risk of suicide in veterans compared to the general population and conditional logistic regression to investigate factors most strongly associated with suicide after discharge. The 458,058 individuals who left the UKAF accumulated over 5,852,100 person years at risk, with a median length of follow–up of 13 years, were mostly male (91%), and had a median age of 26 years at discharge. 1,086 (0.2%) died by suicide. The overall rate of suicide in veterans was slightly lower than the general population (standardised mortality ratio, SMR [95% confidence interval, CI] 94 [88 to 99]). However, suicide risk was 2 to 3 times higher in male and female veterans aged under 25 years than in the same age groups in the general population (age–specific mortality ratios ranging from 160 to 409). Male veterans aged 35 years and older were at reduced risk of suicide (age–specific mortality ratios 47 to 80). Male sex, Army service, discharge between the ages of 16 and 34 years, being untrained on discharge, and length of service under 10 years were associated with higher suicide risk. Factors associated with reduced risk included being married, a higher rank, and deployment on combat operations. The rate of contact with specialist NHS mental health services (273/1,086, 25%) was lowest in the youngest age groups (10% for 16– to 19–year–olds; 23% for 20– to 24–year–olds). Study limitations include the fact that information on veterans was obtained from administrative databases and the role of pre–service vulnerabilities and other factors that may have influenced later suicide risk could not be explored. In addition, information on contact with support services was only available for veterans in contact with specialist NHS mental health services and not for those in contact with other health and social care services.ConclusionsIn this study, we found suicide risk in personnel leaving the UKAF was not high but there are important differences according to age, with higher risk in young men and women. We found a number of factors which elevated the risk of suicide but deployment was associated with lower risk. The focus should be on improving and maintaining access to mental health care and social support for young service leavers, as well as implementing general suicide prevention measures for all veterans regardless of age.

This short report uses data on drug-related emergency department (ED) visits from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) to examine the trends and characteristics of ED visits involving drug-related suicide attempts among ED patients aged 45-64 in 2011. The report discusses the patterns for male and female patients, the drugs most frequently involved in the suicide attempt-related ED visits, and the outcome of the visits. Findings from 2011 are compared with 2005 data. The report notes that current suicide prevention public health efforts are directed at primarily young people and the elderly, but that the findings of this analysis--the increase in drug-related suicide attempts among adults ages 45-64--underscore the importance of understanding risk factors and developing appropriate prevention strategies for this age group.

During 2021, the number of suicides in Canada reached 312 among people between the ages of 40 and 44. Many people who have committed suicide have some form of depression, a serious mood disorder that can impact one's occupation, social life, education, and other parts of their lives. This statistic displays the number of suicides in Canada in 2021, by age group.

Since the 1950s, the suicide rate in the United States has been significantly higher among men than women. In 2022, the suicide rate among men was almost four times higher than that of women. However, the rate of suicide for both men and women has increased gradually over the past couple of decades. Facts on suicide in the United States In 2022, the rate of suicide death in the United States was around 14 per 100,000 population. The suicide rate in the U.S. has generally increased since the year 2000, with the highest rates ever recorded in the years 2018 and 2022. In the United States, death rates from suicide are highest among those aged 45 to 64 years and lowest among younger adults aged 15 to 24. The states with the highest rates of suicide are Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming, while New Jersey and Massachusetts have the lowest rates. Suicide among men In 2023, around 4.5 percent of men in the United States reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Although this rate is lower than that of women, men still have a higher rate of suicide death than women. One reason for this may have to do with the method of suicide. Although firearms account for the largest share of suicide deaths among both men and women, firearms account for almost 60 percent of all suicides among men and just 35 percent among women. Suffocation and poisoning are the other most common methods of suicide among women, with the chances of surviving a suicide attempt from these methods being much higher than surviving an attempt by firearm. The age group with the highest rate of suicide death among men is by far those aged 75 years and over.