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FACT #3

Suicide is often not triggered by a single traumatic event (Reference 3).

• While it is a common misperception that suicide is triggered by one traumatic event; suicide is usually a much more involved phenomenon involving biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors.
• The factors that contribute to suicide are diverse and complex, see: Associated Factors

FACT #4
  
There are more suicides than homicides or deaths from AIDS (Reference 2).

• Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death among all adults in the United States
• Suicides outnumbered homicides (20,308) by 3 to 2
• There were twice as many deaths due to suicide than deaths due to HIV/AIDS (14,175)

FACT #5

More men die by suicide than women (Reference 2).

• Although women attempt suicide twice as often as men, men die by suicide twice as often a women
• Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death for males and the 19th leading cause of death for females.   The male to female ratio is 4:1
• 73% of all suicides are completed by white men.

FACT #6

More women than men report a history of attempted suicide (Reference 2).

• The suicide attempt ratio of women to men is 3:1

FACT #7

Suicide by firearms is the most common method for suicide (Reference 2).

• Suicide by firearms accounted for 55% of all suicides including both men and women
• 80% of all firearm suicides are completed by white men

FACT #8

Among the highest rates (when categorized by gender and race) are suicide deaths for white men over 85 (Reference 2).  

• The rate of suicide for males in late adulthood was 54/100,000

FACT #9

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among young people 15-24 years of age (Reference 2).

• The rate of suicide was 9.9/100,000, or .01%
• The suicide rate among children ages 10-14 is 1.3/100,000, or 272 deaths among 20,910,440 children in this age group.   The 2001 ratio for this age group is 3 males to 1 female.
• The suicide rate among adolescents aged 15-19 is 7.9/100,000, or 1,611 deaths among 20,271,312 adolescents in this age group.   The 2001 ratio for this age group is 5 males to 1 female.
• The suicide rate among young people 20 to 24 years of age the suicide rate is 12/100,000, or 2,360 deaths among 19,711,423 people in this age group.  The 2001 ratio for this age group is 7 males to 1 female.

Internet

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

The NIMH is the primary National Institute of Health organization for research on suicide and suicide prevention.   The NIMH offers specific resources, research, tools, and reports for individuals in helping roles, health care professionals, and researchers interested in learning more about suicide and suicide prevention.

Learn more on facts about suicide from the following NIMH Web page:

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/suicideprevention/suicidefaq.cfm

Internet

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)

The AFSP is comprised of volunteers from business, the community and survivors dedicated to advancing our knowledge of suicide and our ability to prevent it.

AFSP provides Facts about Suicide on their Web site.   To access AFSP's Facts page, select the link below; next click on About Suicide; and then click on Facts.

http://www.afsp.org/index-1.htm

Internet

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC is a U.S. government agency recognized as the lead federal agency for protecting the health and safety of people - at home and abroad.

The CDC Web site provides a Suicide Fact Sheet available at the following Web address:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/suifacts.htm

Internet

San Francisco Suicide Prevention (SFSP)

SFSP is the oldest volunteer crisis line in the United States.   Founded in 1963, SFSP currently provides both crisis and general counseling services.

The SFSP provides a Fact or Myth Quiz available at the following Web address:

http://www.sfsuicide.org/html/quiz.html

Developed with the support of NIMH SBIR contract # N44MH22044

© Copyright iTeleHealth Inc., 2004

Last Updated: July 2004