Offer hope and encouragement. Take necessary action to remove any harmful means, such as guns, pills, or rope. More people die from suicide than from homicide. In 1997, there were 1.5 times as many suicides as homicides. Overall, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for all Americans, and is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24.
Males are four times more likely to die from suicide than are females.
However, females are more likely to attempt suicide than are males. In 1997, white males accounted for 72 percent of all suicides. Together, white males and white females accounted for over 90 percent of all suicides. There was a disproportionate number of suicides among young male Native Americans during this period, as males 15-24 accounted for 64 percent of all suicides by Native Americans. Suicide rates are generally higher than the national average in the western States and lower in the eastern and midwestern States.