Suicide Risk by Population
Suicide and suicide attempts can have lasting emotional, mental, and physical health impacts, as well as economic consequences. They can also impact people who struggle with their own risk of suicide and/or mental health challenges (called “lived experience”). (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
While anyone can experience suicide risk, some populations experience more negative social conditions and have higher rates of suicide or suicide attempts than the general U.S. population. Examples of groups experiencing suicide health disparities include older adults, veterans, people who live in rural areas, sexual minorities, middle-aged adults, people of color, and tribal populations.
Older Adults
Adults aged 75 and older have one of the highest suicide rates (20.3 per 100,000). Men aged 75 and older have the highest rate (42.2 per 100,000) compared to other age groups. Non-Hispanic White men have the highest suicide rate compared to other racial/ethnic men in this age group (50.1 per 100,000). Older adults who have multiple medical problems, and who also have lost a spouse, are also at higher risk. Source: CDC
Youth and Young Adults
Youth and young adults ages 10–24 years account for 15% of all suicides. The suicide rate for this age group (11.0 per 100,000) is lower than other age groups. Source: CDC However, suicide is the second leading cause of death for this age group, accounting for 7,126 deaths. Additionally, suicide rates for this age group increased 52.2% between 2000-2021. Source: CDC
Suicide rates are higher among veterans
In 2020, 6,146 veterans died by suicide. Suicide was the 13th leading cause of death among veterans overall, and the second leading cause of death among veterans under age 45. Veterans have an age-adjusted suicide rate that is 57.3% greater than the non-veteran U.S. adult population. Veterans account for about 13.9% of suicides among adults in the United States. Source: CDC
Additionally, in 2019, 1.6% of veteran young adults ages 18-25 reported making a suicide attempt during the previous 12 months. This was an increase from 0.9% in 2009. Source: CDC
LGBTQ Adults and Youth
Suicide risk is higher among people who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual people.
Data are limited on frequency of suicide among people who identify as sexual minorities. However, research shows that high school students who identify as sexual minorities have a higher prevalence of suicide attempts compared to heterosexual students. Source: CDC
In 2021, more than a quarter (26.3%) of high school students identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual reported attempting suicide in the prior 12 months. This was five times higher than the prevalence among heterosexual students (5.2%). Source: CDC
Data from 2020 show the prevalence of individuals reporting suicide attempts in the prior 12 months among adult sexual minorities decreased with age, from 5.5% among people ages 18-25 to 2.2% among people ages 26-49. Source: CDC
High school students identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual attempt suicide at a rate five times higher than heterosexual students. LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity but rather placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society. Source: CDC
Suicide ideation is higher among people with disabilities
Limited data are available on suicide among people with disabilities. However, a recent survey highlighted that in 2021, adults with disabilities were three times more likely to report suicidal ideation in the past month compared to people without disabilities (30.6% versus 8.3% in the general U.S. population). Prior research also shows that the prevalence of reported mental distress, which is a risk factor for suicide, was 4.6 times higher among people with disabilities (32.9%) than among people without disabilities (7.2%). Source: CDC