Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to site content
CDC Home

Persons using assistive technology might not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please send e-mail to: mmwrq@cdc.gov. Type 508 Accommodation and the title of the report in the subject line of e-mail.

QuickStats: Suicide and Homicide Rates,* by Age Group — United States, 2009

The figure shows suicide and homicide rates, by age group, in the United States, during 2009. In 2009, the age-adjusted suicide rate for the total population (11.8 per 100,000 population) was approximately twice as high as the age-adjusted homicide rate (5.5). Persons aged 18-24 years had the highest rate of homicide in 2009, whereas persons aged 45-54 years had the highest rate of suicide. The suicide rate was higher than the homicide rate among those aged ≥25 years, and this difference increased with age. For persons aged 25-44 years, the rate of suicide was nearly twice the rate of homicide, whereas for those aged ≥65 years, the rate of suicide was nearly seven times the homicide rate.

* Per 100,000 population in age group. Suicides are coded as *U03, X60–X84, and Y87.0, and homicides are coded as *U01–*U02, X85–Y09, and Y87.1 according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision.

95% confidence interval.

§ Suicide data for persons aged 0–9 years are suppressed based on a child's inability to form and understand suicidal intent and consequences.

In 2009, the age-adjusted suicide rate for the total population (11.8 per 100,000 population) was approximately twice as high as the age-adjusted homicide rate (5.5). Persons aged 18–24 years had the highest rate of homicide in 2009, whereas persons aged 45–54 years had the highest rate of suicide. The suicide rate was higher than the homicide rate among those aged ≥25 years, and this difference increased with age. For persons aged 25–44 years, the rate of suicide was nearly twice the rate of homicide, whereas for those aged ≥65 years, the rate of suicide was nearly seven times the homicide rate.

Sources: National Vital Statistics System mortality data. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/deaths.htm.

US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Healthy people 2020. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2012. Available at http://www.healthypeople.gov.

Reported by: Kimberly Hurvitz, MHS, ifo7@cdc.gov, 301-458-4756; Deepthi Kandi.

Alternate Text: The figure above shows suicide and homicide rates, by age group, in the United States, during 2009. In 2009, the age-adjusted suicide rate for the total population (11.8 per 100,000 population) was approximately twice as high as the age-adjusted homicide rate (5.5). Persons aged 18-24 years had the highest rate of homicide in 2009, whereas persons aged 45-54 years had the highest rate of suicide. The suicide rate was higher than the homicide rate among those aged ≥25 years, and this difference increased with age. For persons aged 25-44 years, the rate of suicide was nearly twice the rate of homicide, whereas for those aged ≥65 years, the rate of suicide was nearly seven times the homicide rate.


Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

References to non-CDC sites on the Internet are provided as a service to MMWR readers and do not constitute or imply endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CDC is not responsible for the content of pages found at these sites. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of the date of publication.


All MMWR HTML versions of articles are electronic conversions from typeset documents. This conversion might result in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. Users are referred to the electronic PDF version (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr) and/or the original MMWR paper copy for printable versions of official text, figures, and tables. An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371; telephone: (202) 512-1800. Contact GPO for current prices.

**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov.

 
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30329-4027, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC–INFO
A-Z Index
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #