US suicide rate surges, particularly among white people

[MikeWB]

The suicide rate in the US has surged to its highest level in almost three decades, according to a new report.
The increase is particularly pronounced among middle-age white people who now account for a third of all US suicides.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report did not offer an explanation for the steep rise.
However, other experts have pointed to increased abuse of prescription opiates and the financial downturn that began in 2008 as likely factors.
The report did not break down the suicides by education level or income, but previous studies found rising suicide rates among white people without university degrees.
"This is part of the larger emerging pattern of evidence of the links between poverty, hopelessness and health," Robert D Putnam, a professor of public policy at Harvard, told the New York Times.
CDC reported on Friday that suicides have increased in the US to a rate of 13 per 100,000 people, the highest since 1986.
Meanwhile, homicides and deaths from ailments like cancer and heart disease have declined.
In the past, suicides have been most common among white people, but the recent increases have been sharp.
CDC chart on suicidesImage copyrightCDC
The overall suicide rate rose by 24% from 1999 to 2014, according to the CDC. However, the rate increased 43% among white men ages 45 to 64 and 63% for women in the same age-range.
In 2014, more than 14,000 middle-aged white people killed themselves.
That figure is double the combined suicides total for all blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaska Natives.
The suicide rate only declined for only two groups: black men and all people over 75.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36116166

[rmstock]

BC, what does that stand for ? British Bull Crap ?

Some high school math :

"rate of 13 per 100,000 people"
"In 2014, more than 14,000 middle-aged white people killed themselves."
"figure is double the combined suicides total for all blacks, Hispanics, etc."

So (14000+7000)/x = .00013 (=13/100,000) which means x =  161538461.538
( 161 million) people in total inside the USA. They come up 50% short in
the total population inside the US. Ain't that strange eh? They do
calculate however the rate increases for various population groups with
double digit accuracy as 43% and 63%, but have a total mis with the
total number of people in North America. I guess when Trump voters (did
you see these jam-packed stadiums?) are complaining about open borders,
they do have a point.  In fact ... Why would white voters be in
despair, when Trump keeps winning primaries, and kill themselves ?

[yankeedoodle]

Well done, Robert. 

[MikeWB]

This comes from two new CDC reports: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db241.htm

and

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/suicide/rates_1999_2014.htm

Suicide rates are increasing for ALL demographics despite declining mortality for other categories. But regarding ethnicity/race:

For females, age-adjusted suicide rates increased between 1999 and 2014 for all racial and ethnic groups except non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islanders (API), with the largest percentage increases for non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AIAN) females (89%) and non-Hispanic white females (60%) (Figure 1, Table). Suicide rates for non-Hispanic white females increased for all age groups under age 75. The suicide rate for non-Hispanic white females aged 45–64 in 2014 (12.6 per 100,000) was 80% higher compared with 1999 (7.0) and was three to four times higher than for females in other racial and ethnic groups. Suicide rates for non-Hispanic black and Hispanic females also increased for those aged 45–64. Although much lower than for other ages, the suicide rate in 2014 for non-Hispanic white females aged 10–14 years (1.7 per 100,000) more than tripled from 1999 (0.5).
For males, age-adjusted suicide rates increased between 1999 and 2014 by 38% for non-Hispanic AIAN males and by 28% for non-Hispanic white males (Figure 2, Table). In 2014, the suicide rate for non-Hispanic AIAN males aged 25–44 was the highest among all racial and ethnic groups (48.0 per 100,000) and was 60% higher than in 1999 (30.0). Non-Hispanic white males had higher suicide rates in 2014 than in 1999 for all age groups under 75 years, with the greatest percentage increase for those aged 45–64 (59%) and 10–14 (57%). In contrast, non-Hispanic black males were the only racial and ethnic group of either sex to have a lower suicide rate in 2014 (9.7 per 100,000 standard population) compared with 1999 (10.5), an 8% decline.


The CDC report does not provide suggestions for explaining these trends.