last modified 5/21/99; links updated 10/20/02
1996 Official Final Statistics
U.S.A. SUICIDE:

Prepared for the American Association of Suicidology

by John L. McIntosh, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Indiana University South Bend

This set of data is a supplement to the summary data found at the 1996 Summary Data site, providing additional data with minimial duplication of figures.

Data Sources:

All data for suicide deaths based on official final figures either appearing in or calculated based on figures appearing in the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) publication below or received directly from NCHS Mortality Branch personnel. These figures are derived from death records collected at local and state levels provided to NCHS for national compilations.

A 2-page summary data sheet of many of the statistics below and some others is prepared annually for the American Association of Suicidology. To obtain a copy of the sheet, either make a request to Dr. McIntosh or to AAS (phone 202-237-2280; FAX 202-237-2282; e-mail BERM101W@wonder.em.cdc.gov; Suite 408, 4201 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008). A webpage version of the information on the sheet may be found in the 1996 Summary Data link at this site.

A set of 40 overheads (either in color or black and white; color slides are also available) is available for purchase from the American Association of Suicidology. The set is updated annually as new statistics are available (the 1996 set is available for purchase currently). The set provides basic information on suicide deaths (by age, race, sex, method, marital status, etc.), suicide attempts (with detailed information by age and sex), and survivors of suicide. Contact AAS at the above numbers/addresses for further information and ordering (the figures at this website provide a sample of some of the data presented in the overhead set).

Suicide rates are calculated by dividing the number of suicides among a group by the population of the group and multiplying the result by 100,000. This produces the number of suicides per each unit of 100,000 for the group. The "crude" rates of suicide can be compared directly to other crude rates.

All listings of 65+ and "elderly" refer to those aged 65 years and above; all referrals to "young," unless otherwise noted, imply those aged 15-24 years of age.

Suicide by Race and Sex: Nation, Elderly, Young (1996 data)

Group
Number of Suicides
Rate of Suicide
No. of Elderly Suicides
Elderly Suicide Rate
No. of Youth Suicides
Youth Suicide Rate

Nation

30,903

11.6

5,855

17.3

4,358

12.0

Males

24,998

19.3

4,893

35.3

3,724

20.0

Females

5,905

4.4

962

4.8

634

3.6

Whites

27,856

12.7

5,593

18.5

3,639

12.6

Nonwhites

3,047

6.7

262

7.3

719

9.8

Blacks

2,164

6.5

172

6.2

523

9.5

White Male

22,547

20.9

4,702

37.8

3,109

20.9

White Female

5,309

4.8

891

5.0

530

3.8

Nonwhite Male

2,451

11.3

191

13.4

615

16.6

Nonwhite Female

596

2.5

71

3.3

104

2.8

Black Male

1,820

11.4

136

12.6

461

16.7

Black Female

344

2.0

36

2.1

62

2.3

Methods of Suicide: Detailed (1996 data)

National Figures
Method
Percent of Total (30,903 suicides total)
Number of Suicides

Firearms and explosives
58.8%
18,182

Hanging, strangulation, suffocation
17.2%
5,330

Solid & Liquid Poisons
9.9%
3,073

Gas Poisons
6.5%
2,007

All Other Methods
7.5%
2,311

Jump from high place
2.1%
645

Cutting & Piercing
1.4%
435

Drowning
1.2%
361

Jump/Lie before moving object
1.0%
308

Burns, Fire
0.6%
171

Crashing of motor vehicle
0.3%
87

Methods by Gender/Sex

Method
Males - Percent of Total
Males - Number of Suicides (24,998 total)
Females - Percent of Total
Females - Number of Suicides (5,905 total)
Firearms and Explosives
63.3%
15,821
40.0%
2,361
Hanging, Strangulation, Suffocation
17.4%
4,350
16.6%
980
Gas Poisons
6.4%
1,595
7.0%
412
Solid & Liquid Poisons
6.3%
1,564
25.6%
1,509
All Other Methods (total)
6.7%
1,668
10.9%
643

Jump from high place
1.8%
450
3.3%
195

Cutting & Piercing
1.4%
354
1.4%
81

Drowning
0.9%
237
2.1%
124

Jump/Lie before moving object
0.9%
231
1.3%
77

Burns, Fire
0.4%
112
1.0%
59

Crashing of motor vehicle
0.2%
59
0.5%
28

Suicide Methods by the Young (15-24 years of age) and Elderly (65 years and above)

Method of Suicide
Number of Suicides - Young (Total: 4,358)
Percent of Total - Young
Number of Suicides - Elderly (Total: 5,855)
Percent of Total - Elderly
Firearms and Explosives
2,727
62.6%
4,186
71.5%
Hanging
984
22.6%
642
11.0%
Solid & Liquid Poisons
209
4.8%
353
6.0%
Gas Poisons
164
3.8%
267
4.6%
Jumping from Heights
84
1.9%
114
2.0%
Cutting & Piercing Instruments
20
0.5%
90
1.5%
Drowning
37
0.8%
90
1.5%
Other Methods
133
3.1%
113
1.9%
State and Regional Figures on USA Suicide

State Data*

*including the District of Columbia
Caution: Annual fluctuations in state levels can make these data highly variable. The use of several years' data is preferable to conclusions based on single years alone.
1996 State Data Alone
State Data Tables for 1990-1996

Regional Data
1996 Regional Data Alone
Regional Data Tables for 1990-1996

1996 State and regional data source: Peters, K.D., Kochanek, K.D., & Murphy, S.L. (1998). Deaths: Final data for 1996. National Vital Statistics Report, 47 (9), p. 79, Table 24. DHHS Publication No. (PHS) 99-1120 [Data to be published in the 1996 annual volume of Vital Statistics of the United States.] [data are by place of residence] [Suicide = ICD-9 Codes E950-E959]

Note: All rates are per 100,000 population.

Table of rates and numbers for USA

Metropolitan Areas 1990-92

Return to McIntosh's Home Page

Trend Figures & Other Figures Gallery

These figures have been updated and replaced by those appearing subsequently

Suicide Rates for Men, Women, and the Nation, USA, 1933-1996

Suicide Rates for Whites and Nonwhites, USA, 1933-1996

Suicide Rates by Gender and Race, USA, 1933-1996

Suicide Rates for the Young (15-24), Elderly (65+), and the Nation, USA, 1933-1996

Cumulative Number of USA Suicides and Estimates of Survivors, 1971-1996 (last 25 years)

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