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Suicide Rate Surpasses Road Deaths In US

The latest statistics show a worryingly big rise among middle-aged white Americans choosing to take their own life.

12:45pm UK, Friday 03 May 2013

Suicide is 'far too common' in the US, researchers say

White 19992010Black 19992010Hispanic 19992010Asian 19992010Native American 19992010Suicide rates are rising dramatically,according to new US government statistics.0%7%14%21%28%35%15.9%22.3%6.4%6.8%7.1%7.4%7.1%7.8%11.2%18.5%

US Centers for Disease Control

Graph: US Suicides On The Rise

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More Americans now die of suicide than in road accidents, according to a newly-released US government report.

The most recent statistics from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed there were 33,687 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in 2010, while 38,364 people took their own life.

The rate among middle-aged Americans has climbed a startling 28% in a decade, a period that included the recession and the mortgage crisis.

People aged 35 to 64 account for about 57% of suicides in the US.

The trend was most pronounced among white men and women in that age group. Their suicide rate jumped 40% between 1999 and 2010.

But the rates in younger and older people held steady. And there was little change among middle-aged blacks, Hispanics and most other racial and ethnic groups.

"Suicide is a tragedy that is far too common," said CDC director Tom Frieden.

"This report highlights the need to expand our knowledge of risk factors so we can build on prevention programmes."

Suicide has gone from the eighth leading cause of death among middle-aged Americans to the fourth, behind cancer, heart disease and accidents.

The increase among baby boomers in their 50s may be a quirk of their generation, as they also showed high rates of suicide in their teenage years, the report suggested.

"Some of us think we're facing an upsurge as this generation moves into later life," said Dr Eric Caine, a suicide researcher at the University of Rochester.

The overall national suicide rate in the US climbed from 12 suicides per 100,000 people in 1999 to 14 per 100,000 in 2010.

Suicides among middle-aged Native Americans and Alaska Natives climbed 65%, to 18.5 per 100,000.

However, the overall numbers remain very small - 171 such deaths in 2010.

The report also gave surprising detail about how middle-aged people kill themselves.

Guns remained far in the lead and were instrumental in nearly half of all suicides in that age group in 2010.

Hangings have overtaken drug overdoses, becoming the second most frequent manner of suicide.