CDC: U.S. Suicide Rates Have Climbed Dramatically
June 15, 2018
New findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shed light on U.S. state-level suicide trends. Data from 1999 to 2016 show that suicide rates increased in nearly every state, and went up by more than 30 percent in half of states. They also indicate that more than half of people who died by suicide did not have a known mental health condition. Relationship issues, substance abuse, physical health problems, and financial stress were among the other factors found to play a role in suicide deaths. Among those who died by suicide, firearms were the most common method. “Suicide in this country really is a problem that is impacted by so many factors. It’s not just a mental health concern,” said CDC behavioral scientist and lead author Deborah Stone. “There are many different circumstances and factors that contribute to suicide. And so that’s one of the things that this study really shows us. It points to the need for a comprehensive approach to prevention.”
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