63% increase in suicide among middle-aged American women

Ophelia -- John Everett Millais (1852)

Centers for Disease Control




In 1999, 5,741 U.S. women died by suicide (rate per 100,000 = 4.0). In 2014, the female suicide rate increased to 5.8/100,000, involving 9,660 victims.



In the same time period (1999-2014), the suicide rate for middle aged U.S. women (ages 45-64) increased 63%, from 6.0 to 9.8, or, from 1,868 to 4,195 victims.




The rates for men increased 16% (all ages) and 43% (45-64).


What's changed from 1999 to 2014 and why is it causing such disastrous consequences?

Table. Number of deaths, death rates by age, and age-adjusted death rates for suicide, by Hispanic origin and race and sex: United States, 1999 and 2014

[Rates per 100,000 population estimated as of July 1]

Hispanic origin and race and age (years)	Female					Male
	1999		2014		Percent change in rate, 1999–2014	1999		2014		Percent change in rate, 1999–2014
	Number	Rate	Number	Rate		Number	Rate	Number	Rate
All races1
All ages2	5,741	4.0	9,660	5.8	†45	23,458	17.8	33,113	20.7	†16
10–14	50	0.5	150	1.5	†200	192	1.9	275	2.6	†37
15–24	575	3.0	990	4.6	†53	3,326	16.8	4,089	18.2	†8
25–44	2,359	5.5	3,018	7.2	†31	9,213	21.6	10,257	24.3	†13
45–64	1,868	6.0	4,195	9.8	†63	6,109	20.8	12,099	29.7	†43
65–74	420	4.1	828	5.9	†44	2,051	24.7	3,282	26.6	†8
75 and over	469	4.5	477	4.0	†-11	2,549	42.4	3,106	38.8	†-8
Not stated	–	*	1	*	*	16	*	3	*	*
Non-Hispanic white3
All ages2	4,914	4.7	8,030	7.5	†60	19,620	20.2	27,368	25.8	†28
10–14	33	0.5	94	1.7	†240	140	2.1	190	3.3	†57
15–24	414	3.4	653	5.4	†59	2,416	19.2	2,842	22.4	†17
25–44	1,981	6.8	2,401	9.8	†44	7,415	25.2	7,867	31.7	†26
45–64	1,678	7.0	3,715	12.6	†80	5,389	>23.4	10,617	37.1	†59
65–74	380	4.6	745	6.9	†50	1,869	27.0	2,983	30.7	†14
75 and over	428	4.8	421	4.5	-6	2,384	45.7	2,865	44.0	-4
Not stated	-	*	1	*	*	6	*	3	*	*
Non-Hispanic black3
All ages2	294	1.7	455	2.1	†24	1,630	10.5	1,871	9.7	†-8
10–14	7	*	14	*	*	22	1.4	39	2.5	†79
15–24	55	2.0	91	2.7	35	408	14.8	426	12.3	†-17
25–44	142	2.5	174	3.0	20	785	15.5	806	15.0	-3
45–64	64	1.9	143	2.7	†42	278	9.8	454	9.8	0
65–74	16	*	22	1.6	*	78	11.7	82	7.7	†-34
75 and over	10	*	10	*	*	57	14.1	63	11.0	-22
Not stated	-	*	-	*	*	2	*	-	*	*
Non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander3,4
All ages2	188	3.4	350	3.5	3	457	9.0	804	8.9	-1
10–14	1	*	4	*	*	6	*	6	*	*
15–24	35	4.1	53	4.3	5	82	9.5	163	12.8	†35
25–44	76	3.8	130	4.1	8	203	10.8	285	9.9	-8
45–64	46	3.9	104	4.3	10	118	11.5	251	12.2	6
65–74	14	*	30	4.6	*	22	10.1	58	10.9	8
75 and over	16	*	29	6.3	*	25	19.4	41	12.7	-35
Not stated	-	*	-	*	*	1	*	-	*	*
Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native3,5
All ages2	54	4.6	118	8.7	†89	222	19.8	348	27.4	†38
10–14	-	*	7	*	*	2	*	4	*	*
15–24	13	*	34	15.6	*	77	39.1	86	38.2	-2
25–44	29	8.2	56	15.7	†91	102	30.0	168	48.0	†60
45–64	12	*	19	*	*	30	14.9	70	22.7	†52
65–74	-	*	-	*	*	9	*	11	*	*
75 and over	-	*	-	*	*	2	*	9	*	*
Not stated	-	*	-	*	*	-	*	-	*	*
Hispanic6
All ages2	265	1.9	662	2.5	†32	1,430	10.3	2,582	10.3	0
10–14	9	*	31	1.3	*	21	1.4	35	1.4	0
15–24	53	1.8	157	3.4	†89	338	9.9	562	11.5	†16
25–44	121	2.3	247	3.0	†30	671	11.3	1,101	12.6	†12
45–64	59	2.5	185	3.5	†40	263	11.8	640	12.4	5
65–74	10	*	28	2.4	*	63	13.8	127	13.2	-4
75 and over	13	*	14	*	*	72	30.2	117	20.6	†-32
Not stated	-	*	-	*	*	2	*	-	*	*

^† Difference in rates between 1999 and 2014 was significant at p < 0.05.
- Quantity zero. Missing values for age were not distributed prior to calculating rates.
* Figure does not meet standards of reliability or precision; based on fewer than 20 cases in the numerator.
¹Includes Hispanic origin not stated.
²Age-adjusted using the direct method and the standard 2000 population.
³Race categories are consistent with the 1977 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) standards. In 2014, multiple-race data were reported by 46 states and the District of Columbia; see Technical Notes. The multiple-race data for these reporting areas were bridged to the single-race categories of the 1977 OMB standards for comparability with other reporting areas.
⁴Includes Aleuts and Eskimos.
⁵Includes Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Japanese, and other Asian or Pacific Islander persons.
⁶Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
NOTE: Suicide deaths are identified with underlying cause-of-death codes U03, X60–X84, and Y87.0 from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision.
SOURCE: National Vital Statistics System, Mortality, 1999 and 2014.