CDC's 1999-2010 report, dated May 3, 2013, reflects the continued uptick in male suicidal events among the 45-64 age group. The percentage increase from 1999 to 2010 for 45 to 49 year olds was 35.2 % (30.1 per 100,000); 50 to 54 year olds was 49.4% (30.7 per 100,000); 55 to 59 was 47.8% (30.0 per 100, 000); and 60 to 64 was 30.2% (24.9 per 100,000). It must also be noted that these very age groups among women are also showing a remarkable increase in suicidal trends.In 2010, firearms continued to be the most common suicide agent for men--more than all other mechanisms combined (14.3 per 1000,000) compared to suffocation/hanging (6.8 per 1000,000). Poisoning and firearms were the most common means for women (3.4 and 2.5 respectively). The use of suffocation jumped 75% for men (from 3.9 to 6.8) and 115.0%
for women (from 0.7 to 1.5). Poisoning, the third leading method for men, accounted for less than 4 per 100,000 among men.
CDC (2013), May 3. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 62(17), 321-325.
1991-2009 While the highest male suicide occurrence for the 1991-2009 period in the US was in the 65+ age group, the good news is that rates fell from a high of 40 suicides per 100,000 to 29 per 100,000. Happily, rates also dropped for the 10-24 age group to 11 suicides per 100,000.
However, suicide among the 45-64 age group, which had dipped in the period from 24 to 21 per 100,000 shot up in 2009 to 25 per 100,000. increased from to for the same period. What is most notable is that this upward trend on the CDC graph (http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/trends03.html) demonstrates a distinct up trend from 2006 thru 2009. The May 3, 2013 CDC suicide report on men leaves a few unanswered questions. While the 45 to 64 age group men had caused much alarm in the 1991-2009 period, being the only age group to show consistent suicide rate increase from 2006 through 2009, the over 64 male population had attained a consistently higher rate over the 18 year period (1991-2009). Now in this last report, CDC indicates that it focused on the lower age groups because the over 65 population (male & female) experienced a 5.9% suicide decrease between 1999 and 2010, from 15.8 to 14.9 per 100,000.. One would still want to examine the gender related factors. Were the male and female declines comparable? If up to 2009, that age group held the highest suicide numbers for men, it should be of interest to have more precise data on this male demographic.MALE SUICIDE STATISTICS
