Suicide in the United States

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S. Between 1-2% of all Americans die by suicide, and 4-5% attempt suicide at some time in their lives.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2004 (the latest year for which data is available) there were 32,439 suicides in the U.S. This translates to 89 suicides per day, 1 suicide every 16 minutes and an annual suicide rate of 11.5 per 100,000.

Suicide rates in the U.S. have been mostly stable over time. Since 1990, rates have ranged between 12.4 and 10.7 per 100,000.  However, suicide rates for teenagers and college-age individuals have been climbing since 1950. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those 15 to 24 years of age.

Males complete suicide at a rate 4 times greater than females, however, females attempt suicide 3 times more often than males.  Firearms are the most common method used by males while poisoning is the most common method for females. Overall, 52% of the people who took their own lives in 2004 used firearms. There are no official statistics on attempted, non-fatal suicide. Estimates vary from 25 to 100 reported and unreported attempts for every completed suicide.

The Accuracy of Suicide Statistics

In considering the accuracy of suicide statistics, it is wise to take into account under-reporting. It is alleged by researchers as well as public health officials that suicide is frequently misclassified due to a number of reasons. It is thought that medical examiners may have difficulty defining and reporting some cases and hence mislabel them. It is also presumed that kind-hearted medical examiners will sometimes cave in to pressure from relatives who fear the possibility of religious, moral or legal stigma of suicide.