Zealous Toward Social Harmony

Why rural areas are more likely to commit suicide

March 19, 2011 at 12:08 am Leave a comment

While parents may have concern for their adolescent’s well-being, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compiled a study during 1999-2007 that found that the most at-risk age group to commit suicide is the grandparent or elderly persons who are over 85 years old. 

The least likely age group to commit suicide is the 5-9-year-olds with less than 100 suicides during those eight years.  The study found that there were over 280,000 suicides committed by people in the United States and that the number of suicides has been gradually increasing since 1999. 

In 2007, the study reported the highest number of suicides in recent years with over 5,000 more total suicides since 1999.  

White Americans are the most at-risk race to commit suicide in the United States, as they made up about 90 percent of the total number of suicides committed by the population during those eight years.  Another overwhelming demographic in the study is the number of male suicides, which are more likely than female suicides by about a 4 to 1 ratio. 

American Indian or Alaska Natives are the next likeliest racial group in the United States to commit suicide, statistically speaking, followed by Asian or Pacific Islanders.  African Americans and people of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity are the least likely groups to commit suicide, according to the CDC.

 During those eight years, Alaska was the most likely state to report a suicide, statistically speaking.  The CDC reported that the next likeliest states to commit a suicide were both on the West Coast of the country, Montana and Nevada. 

 It is found that despite stereotypes of urban areas having drug and gun control issues, the study found that rural areas have a greater suicide issue.  Statistically speaking, the more urban an area, the less likely its population is to report a suicide.  The CDC reported that during the study, rural areas were more likely to report a suicide. 

Rural areas struggle with suicides due to several factors including social isolation, lack of mental health care and the easy availability of guns, according to an article by the New York Times (“Social Isolation, Guns and a ‘Culture of Suicide’”/Feb. 13, 2005).  The chance of suicide by gunfire in rural areas can be just as likely as it is in urban areas, the article stated.

On the East Coast of the nation, New York is the least likely of all states to report a suicide, as the nearby states of New Jersey and Massachusetts are the next least likely states to have their populations commit a suicide, according to the CDC study.

According to the CDC, signs of suicide may include a history of depression or mental illness, substance abuse, or a physical illness.  If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, the CDC suggests contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Entry filed under: Social Conflict. Tags: centers for disease control and prevention, race, Suicide.