suicide is not often thought of in regard to the field of Public Health however, certain health disparities have increased risk and incidence according to research. Suicide is defined as death caused by self-directed injury or behavior with the intent to die as a result of the decision made (Center for Disease Control, 2015). A consistent definition is important from a public health perspective to assure the proper preventative measures are taken. Identification of high-risk groups (disparities) allows practitioners to assist in early detection and prevention. This paper explores the disparity of sex in relation to national suicide rates along with the epidemiology, etiology and public policy regarding suicide.
HEALTH PROBLEM Suicide is a
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Although higher prevalence may occur in some countries, there are generally no cultural associations. Families of suicide victims will often state they cannot recall much leading up to the death or that the individual was never really that sad. Unfortunately, suicide is often an outcome of extreme mental anguish without the ability or desire to carry on with normal life expectations. While not all reasons can point back to preventative measures or risk factors, there are certain issues to be aware of when looking at risk associated with an individual. Risk factors …show more content…
Suicide rates suggest that certain disparities do exist. Disparities between both age and sex are most common while race can also play a factor when discussing disparities. In 2014, White males accounted for 77.4% of all suicides, only 22.6% were women (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2016). In addition to sex disparities, some race/ethnic disparities exist. From 2005-2014 the rates according to race are as follows: Whites 14.7, American Indians 10.9, Hispanics 6.3, Asians and Pacific Islanders 5.9 and Africans 5.5 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2016). There is an outstanding difference in the White race compared to Africans or
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has published a fact sheet of statistics on suicide in the United States. In 2007, it is reported that suicide was the tenth leading cause of death. Furthermore, for every suicide committed, eleven were attempted. A total of 34,598 deaths occurred from suicide with an overall rate of 11.3 suicide deaths per 100,000 people. (NIMH, 2010). Risk factors were also noted on this report and listed “depression and other mental disorders, or a substance abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than ninety percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors (NIMH, 2010).”
As part of my research that I conducted, I found out that there were higher rates in female suicide rates compared to male suicide rates. Research has proved this through the Office for National Statistics report by the following statistic; Men aged between 45 and 59 had a higher suicide rate causing more deaths than women in 2014. https://www.ons.gov.uk/. This was men’s suicide rates causing 23.9 deaths per 100000 whereas women’s suicide rates causing 7.3 deaths per 100000. https://www.ons.gov.uk/. The reason for which males had higher suicide rates compared to female suicide rates may be that men may be less likely to seek help and request support. Typically, women are more likely to seek medical advice than men when they are unwell. This may be true for mental health services as well. A man may be less likely to express his emotions due to it not being
Every 7 in 10 suicides are from white males and they are mostly men who are middle aged (Suicide Statistics, 2016). A common trend sn high death rate for suicide is that the men lack higher education past high school. Those who do not have higher education could have problems with seeking higher paying jobs which is causing stress and leading to factors for the causes of suicide. People who are not educated are struggling to make ends meet and while the cost of living continues to rise the minimum wage is
Socioeconomic Status affects suicide much the same way as other indicators. When a person who goes from one social level to another they don’t know how to behave or respond to the environment they belong. The wealthier a person is the more accepting they are of suicide because they typically have higher education and higher socioeconomic status (Tonooka 1999). Socioeconomic status affects can affect suicide. One study found that when someone is unemployed can lead to a seventy percent increase in death (Denny et al. 2009). Anomie from knowing how to pay bills and live can cause people to commit suicide when they get overwhelmed with bills especially when the family is affected. Males tend to commit suicide more than woman because they are expected to be the breadwinners, so when they continually fail they will seek ways to get out of the stress. The falling of life income (socioeconomic status) can lead to a rise in suicide. This again is caused by the uncertainty of what is to be expected of the individual with falling life income. The very old and young are affected most by this because they are in points in their life’s where the future is full of uncertainty (Marcotte 2003).
Among American civilians, whites have historically and significantly led the way in the rates of suicides. Although leveling off after the 1990’s, the rate of white suicides has still been almost twice as much as minority groups. It has also been shown that males commit suicide significantly more than females.
There is at least 113 suicides each day or 1 every 13 minutes. Suicide among males is the seventh leading cause of death and the fourteenth leading cause in females. Most suicides are with a firearm and are carried out with a “ Saturday night special”. (Dilaura,Cynthia DiLaura) “More than 90 percent of suicide attempts with a gun are fatal. “ (Brady Campaign) There are a number of reasons why suicide occurs. Stress is the number one cause among our youth, bullies, peer pressure, depression, and abuse. 41,100 people committed suicide in the United States in 2013. Our young teens today does not take time to look deeper into there problem and to seek out a better solution. They are looking for a quick fix but not realizing once the trigger is pulled the result is final with no turning back. Most people who has attempted suicide is more likely to try a second attempt and most have an underlying mental illness. There is many warming that someone may be in a suicide crisis. We most learn how to see things through their eyes. No matter what one is facing in life or the difficult that lie ahead of them Nothing is worth taken your own
Over the past decade suicide rates have been either stagnant or have been decreasing over all of the demographics of people. One demographic of people's suicide rate, on the other hand, has risen at a substantial rate. Scientists and researchers have just started studying this trend and have yet to draw one specific reason on why middle aged white males suicide rates are climbing. The suicide rate for this demographic of people has just surpassed the deaths by automobile accidents. This recent epidemic has got many researchers and scientists asking the question of “why?”.
In 2012 and 2013, approximately thirteen people per 100,000 annually attempt to commit suicide, whether this leads to hospitalizations or completed suicides; this makes suicide one of the leading causes of death in North Carolina. Members of the community identified as having the highest suicide attempts and deaths are between the ages 10-24 and 45-64 (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 2015). Also, out of these attempts and deaths, white men compose approximately seventy percent of those numbers across America (Amer. Foundation for Suicide Preven. 2015; NC Dept. of Health and Human Services 2012, 2013); this rate disproportionately places white men at a higher risk within their gender and race for suicide risk. However, this is not to say that minorities or women are at a lower risk, but they do have a much lower suicide rate than white men. But, most suicide victims in North Carolina from 2009 to 2011 were male, non-Hispanic, and between the ages of 25 – 64 (2013).
Mental illnesses are the primary problems for committing suicide. White men who are middle aged (45-64) are currently since 2015, are the targeted ethnicity, gender, and the age range for the highest percentage to commit suicide. Statistics show that suicide is the tenth leading cause of death, each year 44,193 Americans die by suicide, for every suicide 25 attempt, and suicide has cost the United States 44 billion dollars annual. (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) Men tend to use more violent suicide methods for “The most frequent suicide method in 2014 for males involved the use of firearms 55.4%, while poisoning was the most frequent method for females 34.1%” (Curtin). Which is the reason why women are less successful in
Suicide a hidden crisis that is taking the lives of more African Americans today than ever. Nearly a million people worldwide commit suicide each year, with anywhere from 10 to 20 million suicide attempts annually. About 30,000 people reportedly
Suicide was seen as a just way to die if one was faced with unendurable suffering - be it physical or emotional”. Throughout time, suicide has been viewed and dealt with in countless ways. Recently in America, the problem has grown increasingly. In the past decade, suicide rates have been on the incline; especially among men. According to the New York Times (2013), “From 1999 to 2010, the suicide rate among Americans ages 35 to 64 rose by nearly 30 percent… The suicide rate for middle-aged men was 27.3 deaths per 100,000, while for women it was 8.1 deaths per 100,000”. A 30 percent increase with an average of 19 more male suicides than female suicides is certainly an issue for both genders, and an epidemic for men. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (n.d.), found that in 2010, 38,364 suicides were reported, with 78.9% being men. The economic recession, unemployment, and various other factors are speculated to be responsible for this incline in male suicide. As of 2010, an estimated 30,308 men ended their own lives, and it seems as if there is a great risk of that number increasing each year.
The reader must know that people are affected differently by suicidal thoughts and similar behavior like depression than others because of their sex or lifestyle. There is one death by suicide in the world every 40 seconds. The highest suicide rates in the US are among Whites, Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Men commit 79% of US suicides.
This is a critical appraisal of the article A Tool for the Culturally Competent Assessment of Suicide: The Cultural Assessment of Risk for Suicide (CARS) Measure with the purpose of improving my research and critical reading skills.
Suicide is a main source of death around the world and ranks among the three main causes of death among young adults aged between 15-45 years. Indeed, a response to this continuous worldwide issue, the World Health Organization called for the prevention of suicide (WHO, 2015). Several studies have evaluated some of the contributing factors, however, the connection between suicide and the evaluated factors is conclusively positive or negative.
While suicide is highest among males, suicide attempts are higher among females and youth suicide among males are highest in rural / remote areas. 1 This essay will examine some of the issues of youth suicide. The focus will be to view the underlying factors and the strategies employed to intervene and prevent a potential