Suicide rates across the United States have risen to rates not seen in three decades, according to a new report. This increase was seen among all demographics, with the exception of black males according to the new study.
Suicides became more common for Americans from age 10 to 74 between the years 1999 and 2014. The study was conducted by examining death certificates of Americans over the 15-year period.
Suicide rates among males of Asian and Pacific island descent increased by 38 percent during the period of the study. The rate among Caucasian males went up by 28 percent during that same time. By 2014, 48 of every 100,000 white males took their own lives, compared to 30 in 1999.
"The suicide rate for non-Hispanic white females aged 45-64 in 2014 (12.6 per 100,000) was 80% higher compared with 1999 (7.0) and was three to four times higher than for females in other racial and ethnic groups. Suicide rates for non-Hispanic black and Hispanic females also increased for those aged 45-64," The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
Instances of suicide among white men climbed 28 percent over the 15-year period, while Caucasian women took their own lives 60 percent more often in 2014 than 1999. Black males saw their suicide rates drop 8 percent between 1999 and 2014, one of the few pieces of good news from this latest report.
Young women, aged 10 to 14, saw suicide rates triple over the time period examined in the study. However, that rate (1.7 per 100,000) was much lower than many other demographics examined. Although the rate is not high for these young women, researchers note the dramatic increase in suicides for this group warrants investigation.
The reasons for increased incidents of suicide could be driven by a variety of factors, researchers noted. One reason may be that psychiatrists are less likely to prescribe anti-depressants now that many of these drugs are now known to increase the risk of suicide, especially among children. The fear of lawsuits among psychiatrists may be driving some of these changes.
Socioeconomic conditions may also be playing a role in the increasing popularity of suicide, particularly among Pacific islanders and those of Asian ancestry, researchers suggest. The economic crash of 2008 may also be partly responsible for a rise in self-inflicted deaths, according to the report. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, finances played a role in 37.5 percent of suicides in 2010, a figure which rose 32.9 percent from 2005.
Fatal overdoses from opiate painkillers are also on the rise. From 1999 to 2008, the number of fatalities attributed to these drugs more than tripled in the United States, from 4,000 to 14,800. Opiate-based painkillers were involved in more than 40 percent of all fatal poisonings from prescription drugs in 2008. That figure was up 25 percent from just nine years previously. These deaths may be ruled suicides if a coroner or medical examiner determined the act was likely self-determined.
Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States, behind diabetes, influenza, and nephrotic syndrome.
If the rise in suicide rates were seen over certain demographics, it would be easier for health professionals to effectively target treatments. However, The rise among such a wide range of age, gender, and racial groups could make it difficult to effectively treat the problem, CDC officials noted.
