The number of suicides in the United States rose 4% in 2021 compared to 2020, after declining for two straight years, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report said Friday.
According to the report, the number of people who took their own lives rose from 45,979 in 2020, to 47,646 in 2021, representing an increase in the rate per 100,000 people from 13.5 in 2020 to 14 in 2021.
The number of suicides per month during 2021 was higher than 2020 in all but the months of January, February and July, with the most taking place in October 2021 with 4,211, an 11% increase over the same month in 2020 with 3,781.
Men had a 3% higher rate of suicide at 22.7 per 100,000, an increase over 2020's 22, compared to women with a 5.6 rate per 100,000, up from 5.5 in 2020, according to the report.
The largest rate increases for men committing suicide consisted of the 15-24 age group, with an 8% increase over 2020.
Rates also slightly increased for all the other age groups with "no significant" decline, according to the report.
Women also had slight increases in all age groups except 65-74, where the decline was not considered significant.
The increases followed two consecutive years of decline with 2020 showing a 3% reduction from 2019.
Overall, suicides increased 35% nationally between 1999-2018, then dropped 2% in 2019, followed by the 3% drop in 2020, according to the agency.
The data for the report was compiled from death certificates through May 15, 2022 and could be modified due to the need for death investigations, which could have a six-month lag in reporting to the CDC, the report said.
An article from the Boston University School of Public Health in April said the highest suicide rates are among American Indians and Native Alaskans with rates in 2017 of 33.8 per 100,000 in men and 11 per 100,000 in women.
White people had the second highest rate that year with 28.2 per 100,000 in men and 7.9 per 100,000 for women.
Black, Hispanic and Pacific Islanders had much lower rates in 2017 of 9.9 per 100,000 for men and 3.9 per 100,000 for women, according to the article.
According to the report, some ethnic groups may be underreported because some groups, such as Blacks, are less likely to leave behind notes or documentation than whites, the data show.
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