According to a 1999 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, suicide was the ninth leading cause of mortality in the U.S. in 1996. Further, more teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia and influenza and chronic lung disease combined.
Suicide rates increase with age.
When compared to younger suicide victims, older adult suicide victims are more likely to have lived alone, have been widowed and have had a physical illness. They are also more likely to have visited a health care professional shortly before their suicide and thus represent a missed opportunity for intervention. In 1999, there were 160 elderly suicide deaths and 36 teen suicides. Additionally, for each age group, Arizona has a higher suicide rate than the national average. In 1999, the Arizona Suicide Prevention Coalition was established to reduce this state s high suicide rate.