In 1997, suicide was the eighth leading cause of death in this country. Suicide is a serious problem among young people. That same year, a nationwide survey of high school students found that in the previous year, one-fifth had seriously considered suicide and 1 in 13 had attempted it. Older adults have had the highest suicide rate of all age groups since 1933, the year all states began reporting deaths. Suicide rates tend to rise with age and are highest among white men age 65 and older.
Most suicides are males.
Although more females attempt suicide than males, males are at least four times as likely to die from suicide. View Map Suicide is only part of the problem of self-directed violence. The number of completed suicides reflects only a small portion of the impact of suicidal behavior. It is estimated that more people are hospitalized because of suicide attempts than are fatally injured. And, compared with the number hospitalized, an even greater number of people who attempt suicide are treated in outpatient settings or not at all.