Suicide deaths are tragic but preventable. To effectively prevent them, it’s crucial to measure and understand how they vary by location, time, age, and gender.
Comprehensive Analysis of Global Suicide Rates
A new study aimed to present a comprehensive set of global, regional, and national estimates of the suicide burden.
Key Findings:
Annual Suicide Reports: About 740,000 suicides are reported each year, meaning one occurs every 43 seconds, according to an in-depth analysis published in The Lancet Public Health. Researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington examined suicide data from 1990 to 2021.
Global Suicide Rate Decline: Over the past 30 years, the global suicide rate has decreased by nearly 40%, from about 15 deaths per 100,000 people to 9 per 100,000. The rate decreased by over 50% for females, and for males, it dropped by almost 34%. East Asia saw the largest decline at 66%, with China leading the region.
Regional Variations: Some regions experienced increases in suicide rates. Central Latin America had the highest rise at 39%, with Mexico seeing a 123% increase for females. Andean Latin America had a 13% increase, led by Ecuador. Tropical Latin America saw a 9% rise, with Paraguay leading the region. High-income North America experienced a 7% increase, with the U.S. recording a 23% rise for females.
Research shows increase in youth suicide attempts
Suicide Rankings and Risk Factors
Global Rankings: In 2021, suicide ranked 21st among global causes of death, higher than HIV/AIDS. The highest suicide rates were in Eastern Europe, Southern Sub-Saharan Africa, and Central Sub-Saharan Africa. For males, suicide was the 19th leading cause of death, with Eastern Europe having the highest rate. For females, it ranked 27th, with South Asia having the highest rate.
Mental Health Support: Dr. Mohsen Naghavi emphasized the need to remove stigma and improve access to mental health support, especially for those with cognitive and substance abuse disorders.
Risk Factors: Studies show that victims of violence, sexual assault, and childhood trauma are at increased risk for suicide. Access to lethal means, like guns and pesticides, and factors like poverty and social deprivation are also associated with higher suicide rates.
Gender Differences and Methods
Gender Differences: Males are more than twice as likely to die from suicide as females, but females are 49% more likely to attempt it. Every minute, four men and six women require inpatient treatment for suicide attempts. The global suicide mortality rate is 12.8 per 100,000 for males and 5.4 per 100,000 for females.
Methods: Globally, males are over three times more likely to die by suicide using firearms than females. Specifically, 10% of male suicides and 3% of female suicides involve guns. The U.S. has the highest number of firearm-related suicides, with nearly 22,000 male suicides (55%) and over 3,000 female suicides (31%) involving guns.
Emily Rosenblad from IHME explains that men often choose more lethal methods like guns, while women tend to use less fatal means like poisoning, which have higher survival rates.
Age Trends: Both males and females are dying by suicide later in life, with the average age at death increasing from 1990 to 2021. In 1990, the average age of suicide for males was 43, and for females, it was almost 42. By 2021, this increased to 47 years for both genders. The highest average age of suicide was in East Asia, with 58 years for males and 60 years for females. The youngest average age of suicide was in Oceania, at 36 years for males and 34 years for females.
Effective Suicide Prevention
Understanding these patterns helps develop better suicide prevention methods worldwide. Effective prevention involves community efforts in awareness, intervention, and support systems.
By addressing these critical issues and working together, we can make significant strides in reducing suicide rates and saving lives.
Journal Reference:
- GBD 2021 Suicide Collaborators. About 740,000 global deaths from suicide occur annually—that’s one death every 43 seconds, The Lancet Public Health (2025). DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00006-4
