• Posted September 10, 2024

U.S. Suicide Rates Rise in Less Affluent Areas

An analysis of where suicides are occurring in the United States shows that, tragically, location matters.

People living in poorer areas with fewer resources are significantly more likely to fall victim to suicide versus those living in more affluent areas, new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

“Improving the conditions where people are born, grow, live, work and age is an often-overlooked aspect of suicide prevention," said the report's lead author, CDC health scientist Alison Cammack.

Her team published its CDC Vital Signs report on Sept 10.

The analysis looked at factors such as insurance coverage, broadband internet access and household income in counties across the United States.

They then compared those statistics to rates of suicide in each county.

The results show that income, education and access to resources do matter.

Compared to those counties scoring lowest when it comes to income, internet access and insurance coverage, suicide rates were:

• 26% lower in counties with the highest health insurance coverage

• 44% lower in counties where most homes have broadband internet access

• 13% lower in counties with the greatest average household income

Initiatives that reduce these disparities might help bring suicide rates down, Cammack said in a CDC news release.

"Public health programs that improve conditions in communities, such as those funded by CDC’s Comprehensive Suicide Prevention Program, can help people avoid reaching a crisis point," she said.

Suicide is on the rise in the United States, with the CDC estimating that about 49,000 Americans lost their lives to suicide in 2022 and 2023. It's the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 34, the agency noted, with rates being especially high among  American Indians/Alaska Natives.

Men are at higher risk for suicide than women, and folks in rural areas face higher risks than those living in cities, the agency added. Middle-aged adults -- those aged 45 to 64 -- also face higher-than-average risks, the CDC said.

"Every suicide death is tragic, leaving behind devastated families, friends and communities," CDC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Debra Houry said in the news release.

“Today's report adds to our ever-growing knowledge base of suicide risk factors and will contribute to how we shape future suicide prevention efforts," she added. "My hope is that our scientific work and programs to prevent suicides will lead to fewer loved ones being left behind."

If you or a loved one is in mental health crisis, free, anonymous counseling is at hand 24/7 at the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

More information

Learn the potential warning signs of suicide at the National Institute of Mental Health.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, Sept. 10, 2024