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National Suicide Statistics at a Glance

Percentage of Suicides, by Age Group, Sex and Mechanism, United States, 2005–2009

Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Other Number of deaths: 942 Percentage of deaths: 4.0%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Fall Number of deaths: 290 Percentage of deaths: 1.2%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Poisoning Number of deaths: 1,553 Percentage of deaths: 6.6%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Suffocation Number of deaths: 2,103 Percentage of deaths: 9.0%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Firearm Number of deaths: 18,483 Percentage of deaths: 79.1%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Other Number of deaths: 5,756 Percentage of deaths: 6.1%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Fall Number of deaths: 1,869 Percentage of deaths: 2.0%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Poisoning Number of deaths: 14,057 Percentage of deaths: 14.8%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Suffocation Number of deaths: 24,050 Percentage of deaths: 25.3%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Firearm Number of deaths: 49,406 Percentage of deaths: 51.9%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Other Number of deaths: 940 Percentage of deaths: 5.1%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Fall Number of deaths: 434 Percentage of deaths: 2.4%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Poisoning Number of deaths: 1,098 Percentage of deaths: 5.9%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Suffocation Number of deaths: 6,816 Percentage of deaths: 36.9%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Males Mechanism: Firearm Number of deaths: 9,175 Percentage of deaths: 49.7%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Other Number of deaths: 384 Percentage of deaths: 8.8%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Fall Number of deaths: 158 Percentage of deaths: 3.6%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Poisoning Number of deaths: 1,575 Percentage of deaths: 36.1%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Suffocation Number of deaths: 729 Percentage of deaths: 16.7%Age Group: 65+yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Firearm Number of deaths: 1,520 Percentage of deaths: 34.8%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Other Number of deaths: 1,981 Percentage of deaths: 7.0%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Fall Number of deaths: 669 Percentage of deaths: 2.4%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Poisoning Number of deaths: 12,064 Percentage of deaths: 42.8%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Suffocation Number of deaths: 4,863 Percentage of deaths: 17.2%Age Group: 25-64yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Firearm Number of deaths: 8,616 Percentage of deaths: 30.6%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Other Number of deaths: 208 Percentage of deaths: 5.4%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Fall Number of deaths: 110 Percentage of deaths: 2.8%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Poisoning Number of deaths: 695 Percentage of deaths: 17.9%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Suffocation Number of deaths: 1,885 Percentage of deaths: 48.5%Age Group: 10-24yr Sex: Females Mechanism: Firearm Number of deaths: 989 Percentage of deaths: 25.4%
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During 2005–2009, the greatest percentage of suicides among males in each age group, 10 to 24 years, 25 to 64 years, and 65 years and older occurred by firearms (49.7%, 51.9%, and 79.1%, respectively). The greatest percentage of suicides among females ages 10 to 24 years occurred by suffocation (48.5%). The greatest percentage of suicides among females ages 25 to 64 years and 65 years and older occurred by poisoning (42.8%, and 36.1% respectively).

Back to National Suicide Statistics at a Glance

 
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