Decomposing the change of suicide rates in the United States 2001-2023.

Abstract

Introduction: Suicide rates in the United States have been increasing, necessitating an understanding of demographic variations by ethnicity, age, sex and method to inform effective prevention strategies.

Objective: To dissect suicide rates in the US population from 2001 to 2023 by age, sex, ethnicity, and method.

Methods: This retrospective observational study utilized suicide data and population statistics from the CDC's WISQARS database for the years 2001 (n = 30,418), 2018 (n = 48,132), 2020 (n = 45,721) and 2023 (n = 49,014). Cases were stratified by age, sex, ethnicity, and suicide method to assess trends and demographic differences.

Results: From 2001 to 2023, the overall US suicide rate rose from 10.7 to 14.6 per 100,000, with a temporary decrease in 2019 and 2020 (14.4 and 13.8, respectively). The primary driver of the increase was firearm-related suicides among White males, contributing 25.8% of the rise from 2001 to 2018 and 51.6% from 2020 to 2023. Decline between 2018 and 2020 was mainly due to reductions in firearm and drug-related suicides among White males, but firearm suicides surged again from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, firearm suicides among ethnic minorities, especially Black/African-American males, accounted for 14.0% of the increase during 2020-2023. Drug-related suicides also increased by 8.6% among White females aged 45 and older in the same period.

Conclusions: Firearm suicides are the leading factor in the changing suicide rates in the United States from 2001 to 2023, alongside rising drug-related suicides among White females. These trends highlight the necessity for targeted prevention efforts that consider demographic-specific factors and method accessibility.