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.

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.

Chad TD: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 10.300 NA in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.200 NA for 2015. Chad TD: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 9.500 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.300 NA in 2016 and a record low of 8.800 NA in 2000. Chad TD: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Chad – Table TD.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

Montana was the state with the highest rate of suicidal death among adolescents in the U.S. in 2022, with around 39 deaths per 100,000 adolescents. The overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased over recent years. Suicide is more common among men than women with rates among men over three times higher than among women. Risk factors Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders, as well as substance abuse. In fact, suicidal thoughts, plans to commit suicide, and suicide attempts are all more common among those with drug or alcohol dependence or abuse. In terms of suicides due to a known mental disorder, depression accounts for around 72 percent of all such suicides. Methods Most suicides in the United States are carried out by firearms, however, the most common method of suicide differs from country to country. In 2022, over 27,000 suicides in the United States were conducted by firearms, or just over half of all suicides that year. Firearms are the most common means of suicide among both men and women in the United States, but suicide by poisoning is much more common among women than men.

Morocco MA: Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 2.900 Number in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 2.900 Number for 2015. Morocco MA: Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 3.700 Number from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.900 Number in 2000 and a record low of 2.900 Number in 2016. Morocco MA: Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Morocco – Table MA.World Bank: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted Average;

Singapore SG: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 13.800 NA in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.100 NA for 2015. Singapore SG: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 13.800 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.200 NA in 2000 and a record low of 12.100 NA in 2015. Singapore SG: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Singapore – Table SG.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

BackgroundIn Europe, men have lower rates of attempted suicide compared to women and at the same time a higher rate of completed suicides, indicating major gender differences in lethality of suicidal behaviour. The aim of this study was to analyse the extent to which these gender differences in lethality can be explained by factors such as choice of more lethal methods or lethality differences within the same suicide method or age. In addition, we explored gender differences in the intentionality of suicide attempts.Methods and FindingsMethods. Design: Epidemiological study using a combination of self-report and official data. Setting: Mental health care services in four European countries: Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Portugal. Data basis: Completed suicides derived from official statistics for each country (767 acts, 74.4% male) and assessed suicide attempts excluding habitual intentional self-harm (8,175 acts, 43.2% male).Main Outcome Measures and Data Analysis. We collected data on suicidal acts in eight regions of four European countries participating in the EU-funded “OSPI-Europe”-project (www.ospi-europe.com). We calculated method-specific lethality using the number of completed suicides per method * 100 / (number of completed suicides per method + number of attempted suicides per method). We tested gender differences in the distribution of suicidal acts for significance by using the χ2-test for two-by-two tables. We assessed the effect sizes with phi coefficients (φ). We identified predictors of lethality with a binary logistic regression analysis. Poisson regression analysis examined the contribution of choice of methods and method-specific lethality to gender differences in the lethality of suicidal acts.Findings Main ResultsSuicidal acts (fatal and non-fatal) were 3.4 times more lethal in men than in women (lethality 13.91% (regarding 4106 suicidal acts) versus 4.05% (regarding 4836 suicidal acts)), the difference being significant for the methods hanging, jumping, moving objects, sharp objects and poisoning by substances other than drugs. Median age at time of suicidal behaviour (35–44 years) did not differ between males and females. The overall gender difference in lethality of suicidal behaviour was explained by males choosing more lethal suicide methods (odds ratio (OR) = 2.03; 95% CI = 1.65 to 2.50; p < 0.000001) and additionally, but to a lesser degree, by a higher lethality of suicidal acts for males even within the same method (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 1.32 to 2.02; p = 0.000005). Results of a regression analysis revealed neither age nor country differences were significant predictors for gender differences in the lethality of suicidal acts. The proportion of serious suicide attempts among all non-fatal suicidal acts with known intentionality (NFSAi) was significantly higher in men (57.1%; 1,207 of 2,115 NFSAi) than in women (48.6%; 1,508 of 3,100 NFSAi) (χ2 = 35.74; p < 0.000001).Main limitations of the studyDue to restrictive data security regulations to ensure anonymity in Ireland, specific ages could not be provided because of the relatively low absolute numbers of suicide in the Irish intervention and control region. Therefore, analyses of the interaction between gender and age could only be conducted for three of the four countries. Attempted suicides were assessed for patients presenting to emergency departments or treated in hospitals. An unknown rate of attempted suicides remained undetected. This may have caused an overestimation of the lethality of certain methods. Moreover, the detection of attempted suicides and the registration of completed suicides might have differed across the four countries. Some suicides might be hidden and misclassified as undetermined deaths.ConclusionsMen more often used highly lethal methods in suicidal behaviour, but there was also a higher method-specific lethality which together explained the large gender differences in the lethality of suicidal acts. Gender differences in the lethality of suicidal acts were fairly consistent across all four European countries examined. Males and females did not differ in age at time of suicidal behaviour. Suicide attempts by males were rated as being more serious independent of the method used, with the exceptions of attempted hanging, suggesting gender differences in intentionality associated with suicidal behaviour. These findings contribute to understanding of the spectrum of reasons for gender differences in the lethality of suicidal behaviour and should inform the development of gender specific strategies for suicide prevention.

Costa Rica CR: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 13.500 NA in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.400 NA for 2015. Costa Rica CR: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 13.400 NA from Dec 2000 to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.700 NA in 2010 and a record low of 12.800 NA in 2000. Costa Rica CR: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Costa Rica – Table CR.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

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.

South Korea currently has the highest overall suicide rate among OECD countries worldwide. The suicide rate among women in South Korea is significantly higher than that of women in any other country. Nevertheless, suicide is commonly more prevalent among men than women. Suicide in the U.S. The suicide rate in the United States has risen since the year 2000. As of 2021, there were around 14.1 deaths from suicide per 100,000 population. The suicide rate among men in the U.S. is over three times what it is for females, a considerable and troubling difference. The suicide rate among men increases with age, with the highest rates found among men aged 75 years and older. Adolescent suicide Adolescent suicide is always a serious and difficult topic. A recent survey found that around 30 percent of female high school students in the United States had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, compared to 14 percent of male students. On average, there are around 11 suicide deaths among adolescents per 100,000 population in the United States. The states with the highest rates of adolescent suicide include Idaho, Colorado, and Utah.

India IN: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 17.800 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.000 NA for 2015. India IN: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 18.000 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.600 NA in 2000 and a record low of 17.700 NA in 2010. India IN: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

As of 2022, the U.S. states with the highest death rates from suicide were Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming. In Wyoming and Montana, there were around 29 and 28 suicide deaths per 100,000 population, respectively. In comparison, in New Jersey, the state with the lowest suicide death rate, there were only around eight suicide deaths per 100,000 population. Differences in suicide rates by gender In the United States, there is a vast difference in suicide rates between men and women, with rates over 3.5 times higher among men. However, rates of suicide for both men and women have increased over the past couple of decades. Among men, those aged 75 years and older have the highest suicide rates, with around 42 deaths per 100,000 population in 2021. Among women, those aged 45 to 64 years have the highest rates of suicide death with 8.2 deaths per 100,000 population. What is the most common method of suicide? In the United States, the most common method of suicide is with firearms, followed by suffocation and then poisoning. In 2022, there were around 27,032 suicide deaths from firearms in the United States, compared to 12,247 deaths from suffocation and 4,894 from drug poisoning. In 2021, firearms accounted for around 60 percent of suicide deaths among men. In comparison, around 35 percent of deaths from suicide among women were due to firearms, while suffocation and poisoning each accounted for 28 percent of such deaths.

Poland PL: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 28.900 NA in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 28.400 NA for 2015. Poland PL: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 29.000 NA from Dec 2000 to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 33.400 NA in 2010 and a record low of 28.400 NA in 2015. Poland PL: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Poland – Table PL.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

In 2023, Japan reported 17.6 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants. The country's suicide rate had shown a steady downwards trend over the past decade but began to rise again in 2020. The unexpected upward trend is likely to be connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.  What are the reasons behind Japan’s high suicide rates?  Historically, Japan’s high suicide rates were closely linked to the economic situation of individuals. While the majority of suicides in Japan stemmed from health reasons, existential worries and problems directly related to work also accounted for thousands of self-inflicted deaths in the past years. The most profound issue faced by employees in Japan leading to self-harm in the past decade has been exhaustion. An increasing pressure of retaining jobs by putting in more hours of overtime, while taking fewer holidays and sick days, were considered the main motivators behind the rising suicide numbers among office workers and employees. Occupational sudden mortality, known as karoshi ("death by overwork") is a well-known phenomenon in Japanese society. Besides physical pressure, mental stress from the workplace can cause karoshi. Suicide due to occupational stress or overwork is called karojisatsu ("overwork suicide") in Japan.  Which demographic groups are affected?  While middle-aged men were frequently portrayed as the highest-risk group for suicide in Japan, suicides among elderly and school children were recurrently picked up by the media. Financial anxiety, bullying, isolation, and the lack of a proficient mental healthcare system were only some factors contributing to the country’s high suicide rates among all age groups.

In 2021, there were 3,769 deaths in Canada from suicide. This was a decrease from the year before in which 4,152 people died from suicide. The death rate from suicide in Canada in 2021 was 9.9 per 100,000 population, the lowest rate seen over the past two decades. Warning signs of suicide can include suicidal ideation, withdrawal from family and friends, increased alcohol or drug use, dramatic mood swings, and impulsive or reckless behavior.

Suicide by age Although suicide is more common among some age groups than others, mental health issues and suicide impact people of all ages. Of the 3,769 suicide deaths recorded in Canada in 2021, 344 were among those aged 30 to 34 years. This was the highest number of suicides among all age groups. However, those aged 50 to 54 years had the highest death rate from suicide at that time with 13.4 deaths per 100,000 population. The age group with the second highest suicide death rate was those aged 30 to 39 years, with a rate of 12.8 deaths per 100,000 population.

The mental health status of Canadians Most people who resort to suicide suffer from mental health issues, which is one reason why open discussion around mental health and access to mental health treatment are so important. In 2021, almost 12 percent of Canadians stated that their mental health was just fair or poor. The share of Canadians reporting fair or poor mental health has increased in recent years and hit a high in 2021, perhaps in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, almost 10 percent of Canadians now report that they have been diagnosed with a mood disorder such as depression, bipolar disorder, mania, or dysthymia. Depression is one of the most common mental health issues, but is also often easily treated through therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of these.

Albania Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 4.300 Ratio in 2019. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.500 Ratio for 2018. Albania Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 4.950 Ratio from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2019, with 20 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.200 Ratio in 2008 and a record low of 4.300 Ratio in 2019. Albania Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Albania – Table AL.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).;World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).;Weighted average;This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 3.4.2[https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/].

El Salvador SV: Suicide Mortality Rate: Female data was reported at 4.500 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.600 NA for 2015. El Salvador SV: Suicide Mortality Rate: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 4.600 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.400 NA in 2000 and a record low of 4.200 NA in 2010. El Salvador SV: Suicide Mortality Rate: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s El Salvador – Table SV.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

Ecuador EC: Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data was reported at 7.100 Number in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 9.600 Number for 2015. Ecuador EC: Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data is updated yearly, averaging 8.500 Number from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.600 Number in 2015 and a record low of 6.100 Number in 2000. Ecuador EC: Suicide Mortality Rate: per 100,000 Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Ecuador – Table EC.World Bank: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted Average;

Russia RU: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 55.900 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 57.800 NA for 2015. Russia RU: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 71.700 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.500 NA in 2000 and a record low of 55.900 NA in 2016. Russia RU: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Russian Federation – Table RU.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

Serbia RS: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 23.500 NA in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 22.300 NA for 2015. Serbia RS: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 23.900 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.800 NA in 2000 and a record low of 22.300 NA in 2015. Serbia RS: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Serbia – Table RS.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;