Suicide rate in the United States climbs over past 15 years
The number of suicide incidents in the United States is on the rise, reaching its highest across almost all age groups in the last 15 years, according to a new study.
The report, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that there has been a 24 percent increase in the number of suicides from 1999 to 2014. The climb in suicide rate appears to have been more pronounced from 2006 onward.
This finding was consistent for both males and females for age groups falling within 10 to 74 years old. However, for females, it was most apparent for the younger ones (10 to 14 years old). For males, the increase was observed most in the middle age group (45 to 64 years old).
Additionally, there have been 150 suicide incidents among those belonging to the youngest age range in 2014 alone.
"The rate of suicide has gone up nearly steadily since 1999," study author Sally Curtin from the NCHS said in a statement. She pointed out that the rising suicide rates among young people, particularly those that lead to death, are merely "the tip of the iceberg. For every suicide, we know there are many, many attempts and hospitalizations."
Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the nonprofit organization American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said the organization is "very concerned" about the climbing suicide rate in the United States.
"Our nation has not made the level of investment on a federal level that can have the positive effect on suicide that has happened for the other leading causes of death," CNN quoted Moutier as saying.
Meanwhile, American Psychiatric Association President Dr. Maria Oquendo told CBS News that suicide among young people indicates that they are suffering from some kind of psychiatric condition. She said suicides rarely occur without a psychiatric condition.
Oquendo admitted it is difficult to explain the rising suicide rate.
"One of the most salient things the study illustrates is that despite our aggressive efforts to decrease suicide rates, we really haven't been successful. It's really not clear why it keeps going up," she said.
