Females attempt suicide three times more often than males. Whites and Native Americans are almost twice as likely to complete suicide than blacks and persons of other races. In the past three decades, the suicide rate among teenagers 15-19 years of age has tripled. A potentially suicidal adolescent's risk of actually committing suicide increases 75-fold if there is a gun in the home. Of persons who commit suicide with firearms, more than two-thirds use a handgun.
Males are four times more likely to commit suicide than females.
Whites have the highest rate of suicide among persons 15 years of age and older. For children less than 15 years of age, Native Americans have the highest suicide rate. Suicide rates are slightly higher in rural counties. Persons over 65 years of age are at the highest risk of suicide. One out of three suicides among persons over 14 years of age involves alcohol.