D The Epidemiology and Prevention of Suicide Bottom Line Messages Suicide is an important public health problem for both young and old in our society.
Suicide is associated with other forms of violence and injury.
Suicide prevention must move beyond a sole focus on the treatment of mental illness. Evaluation of suicide prevention strategies is almost nonexistent. While the overall trend in suicide rates is flat, youth suicide rates have increased substantially since the 1950's. Elderly, white males are at highest risk of suicide in the U.S. Suicide rates are highest in the west, among people with a high school education or less, and among widows and divorcees. Firearms are the predominant and most lethal means of committing suicide.