National Suicide Statistics at a Glance

Percentage of Self-Harm Injuries, by Age Group, Disposition, and Mechanism, United States, 2005-2009

For all three age groups (10 to 24 years, 25 to 64 years, and 65 years or more), the greatest percentage of fatal self-harm injuries occurred by firearm (45.5%, 47.0%, and 72.1%, respectively), suffocation (38.9%, 23.4%, and 10.2%, respectively) and poisoning (8.0%, 21.2%, and 11.3%, respectively) during 2005-2009. In contrast, for all three age groups (10 to 24 years, 25 to 64 years, and 65 years or more), the greatest percentage of non-fatal self-harm injuries occurred by poisoning (45.3%, 59.1% and 58.1%, respectively) and cut/pierce (26.3%, 17.0%, and 14.0%, respectively).

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