Who Suicide Hits Hardest in the U.S.

The U.S. suicide rate has surged 33% since the turn of the century, and a new report highlights serious disparities in who is most at risk.

America's suicide rate rose from 10.5 to 14 per 100,000 standard population between 1999 and 2017, according to the brief from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the U.S., with more than 47,000 people dying by suicide in 2017.

While men are more likely to die by suicide, women are more likely to make an attempt, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. That gap may be narrowing, though: From 1999 to 2017, the suicide rate rose 53% among women, compared with 26% among men.

Suicide risk also varies by age: Among women, those 45 to 64 years old saw the highest suicide rate in 2017, while the rate for men was highest among those 75 and older.

The rising suicide rate has contributed to a falling life expectancy in the U.S. in recent years, as has an increase in drug-related deaths. It's unclear exactly why the rate has climbed, but health experts say alcohol and substance misuse, as well as isolation and poor family relationships, can be risk factors.

"Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor," according to the CDC. "In fact, many people who die by suicide are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death."

The new report shows that while suicide rates between 1999 and 2017 rose for nearly all racial and ethnic groups analyzed, disparities among those groups are substantial. The uptick was especially steep among Native Americans and Alaska Natives, with suicide rates climbing 139% among women and 71% among men in that time frame.

High rates of poverty, unemployment and substance misuse, as well as limited access to mental health care and other services, likely contribute to the higher risk of suicide among native populations, health experts say.

"Focused, yet comprehensive, suicide prevention and intervention efforts are needed that incorporate culturally relevant, evidence-based strategies at the individual, interpersonal, and community levels," according to CDC researchers.

An analysis published earlier this week in JAMA, meanwhile, indicates suicide rates among young people – those ages 15 to 24 – have reached their highest points since at least 2000. People 20 to 24 were at higher risk than those 15 to 19, the study found, and the increases have dovetailed with a rise in "social media use, anxiety, depression, and self-inflicted injuries."

"It really is an unprecedented surge," said Oren Miron, lead author of the JAMA study and a research associate at Harvard Medical School, according to HealthDay. "You can go back decades and you won't find such a sharp increase."

The new CDC report shows an increase in suicides among even younger children, as more than 500 children ages 10 to 14 died by suicide in 2017. While the suicide rate was higher among these boys than girls, the rate rose 240% for girls and 74% for boys between 1999 and 2017 – marking the sharpest upticks among any age group for both males and females.

A shrinking gap between male and female youth who die by suicide also underscores the need for prevention efforts that consider a person’s sex and developmental level, researchers say.

"Ideally, prevention addresses all levels of influence: individual, relationship, community, and societal," the CDC says. "Effective prevention strategies are needed to promote awareness of suicide and encourage a commitment to social change."

Suicide Lifeline: If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) any time of day or night or chat online.