The Burden of Suicide

Maine and the US

 Suicide in the US, 2015
2
• 44,193 Americans died by suicide; about 1 person every 11.9 minutes
• Suicide deaths 2.5 times the number of homicides (homicides=17,793)
• 10th leading cause of death across the lifespan
– 2nd leading cause of death for 15-34 year olds
• Men account for 77% suicides
– 3 Female attempts per male attempt
• Veterans account for 20% of suicides
• Since 2009, suicides have exceeded motor vehicle crash related deaths
 Suicide Rate by Age Groups –USA,2015
(10 year increments)
50

45

40
Suicide rate per 100,000 population

35 Data from:
US CDC; WISQARs
30
Males
25
females
20 Both

15

10

0
5.-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
 Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts
By Sex and Sexual Orientation Maine HS
Age-Adjusted Rate (per 100,000 population)

60%
Students-2015
49%
50%

40% 38%

30% 28%
26%
19% 20%
20% 17%
10% 11% 12%
10% 9% 8%

0%
Males Females Heterosexual Bisexual Gay, Lesbian Unsure
 US Age-Adjusted Suicide Death Rate:
30 28.1 by Race 2011-2015
Age-Adjusted Rate (per 100,000 population)

25.46
25

20

15

9.77
10 8.3 9 8.72
7.18

5 3.51
2.01 2.24

0
white native american asian pacific islander black hispanic
Suicide in Maine, 2013-2015

• 10th leading cause of death among all ages

• 2nd leading cause of death ages 10-34
• 4th leading cause of death ages 35-54
• Suicide deaths 9x homicide deaths
• Every 1.6 days someone dies by suicide
• Every 2 weeks a young person dies (<25)
• 233 suicide deaths per year on average
• Firearms most prevalent method of suicide (54%)
 Age-Adjusted Suicide Death Rates:
Maine, the Northeast and United States, 2000-2015
20
Maine Northeast US
Age-Adjusted Suicide Death Rate

15
(per 100,000 population)

10

0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Year
Data source: US CDC WISQARS Fatal Injury Data, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)
 Average Annual Suicide Deaths
Maine, 2011-2015 by age & gender
45
40
35 Data from:
US CDC; WISQARs
30
25
female
20
Male
15
10
5
0
0-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+
By Age Group
 Methods of Suicide, by Sex, Maine, 2013-2015
(All Ages)
3%

8%
24%
Firearms 28%
Firearms
Poisoning 26% Poisoning
Suffocatoin Suffocatoin
10% 63%
All Other*
All other
38%

Males Females
Data source: US CDC WISQARS Fatal Injury Data, National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)
 Percent of Maine HS Students Who Considered, Planned or
Attempted Suicide in Past 12 Months

30
Considered Planned Attempted
25

YRBS & MIYHS Data

20

15

10

0
1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015
 Self-injurious Behavior among Maine HS Students,
by Sex and Sexual Orientation 2015
(Students reporting at least one incident of self-injury past 12 months)
100

75
Prevalence (%)

57.1
52
50
37.1
25
25 18
14
10

0
Total Male Female Heterosexual Gay or Bisexual Unsure
lesbian
___________________ ______________________________________
Sex Sexual Orientation
Data source: Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS), 2015