Suicide

This week on Health Chatter, Stan and Clarence chat with Tanya Carter and Mark Kinde on the 9th leading cause of death in America - suicide.

Tanya Carter, Supervisor of the Suicide Prevention Unit, and Mark Kinde, manager and Director of the Injury and Violence Prevention Unit, both from the Minnesota Department of Health, bring expansive knowledge on this topic.

Listen along as we better graple with this growing issue.

If you, or anyone you know, is in need of help call the Suicide Crisis Hotline number at 988.

Join the conversation at healthchatterpodcast.com

Brought to you in support of Hue-MAN, who is Creating Healthy Communities through Innovative Partnerships. More about their work can be found at http://huemanpartnership.org/

Research

Suicide in the United States

Suicide and suicide attempts cause serious emotional, physical, and economic impacts

Long-term health effects including depression

Rates increased 30% from 2000-2018, then dropped in 2019 and 2020
In 2019, suicide and non-fatal self harm cost the United States about $490 billion in medical costs, etc.
In 2020

45,979 people died from suicide (approximately one death every 11 minutes)

There were 1.2 million suicide attempts

Suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people 10-64 years old

Second leading cause of death for those 10-14 and 25-34 years old

There were approximately 2x as many suicides as there were homicides
Firearms were the most common method used in suicide deaths

Followed by suffocation and poisoning

90% of people who attempt suicide and survive do not end up dying from suicide

Suicide in Minnesota

Suicide rates reached a record high in 2019 and decreased in 2020
Recorded number of suicide deaths in 2020 (723) demonstrated six consecutive years of 700+ Minnesota residents dying by suicide
Although a leading cause of death, suicide was not among the top 10 leading causes of death in 2020
Several recent news headlines (CBS Minnesota)

University of Minnesota Gophers hosted “mental health game” in 2022
St. Paul community participated in special workout in honor of firefighter who died by suicide
Calls to NAMI hotline increased by 44% in Minnesota since switch to 3-digit 988 number

Prevention in Minnesota

Minnesota Suicide Prevention Plan
Suicide Prevention Taskforce
State Grantees
National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Minnesota

988 is the number for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

MN statutes involving suicide

Disparities

High risk groups include victims of child abuse, violence, bullying, and sexual violence, as well as veterans, young people who identify as LGBTQ+, and individuals in rural areas
Race/ethnicity

Non-hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native and non-hispanic white populations have highest rates of suicide

Rate is highest among middle-aged white men

Sex/gender

Men died by suicide almost 4x more than women in 2020

National Prevention Efforts

Strengthen economic supports, create protective environments, improve access and delivery of suicide care, promote healthy connections, teach coping and problem-solving skills, identify and support people at risk, and lessen harms and prevent future risk (CDC Suicide Prevention Resource for Action)
National Suicide Prevention Hotline

Recently changed to a 3-digit number to make it easier for people to get help

Additional Topics and Questions

Impacts of COVID-19 on suicide rates and/or disparities?

CNN article from September 2022 reported that COVID-19 brought a rise in suicide rates after a dip in 2019/2020

Is there a shift to move away from the term “committed suicide”? (i.e. “death/died by suicide” instead)
Intersection between gun sales, access to firearms, and suicide
Assisted suicide

Sources

Suicide

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