SAVE RELEASES 2021 US SUICIDE DATA SHEET

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voices of Education) released the US Suicide 2021 Data Sheet as the host of the annually released national suicide data.

The 2021 data on suicide in America shows an increase in the numbers and rate of suicide. The national data sheet released annually by SAVE.org comes from data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics in a simplified format created by Drs McIntosh and Drapeau with SAVE to help the public, media and those involved in the suicide prevention community. "The data sheets are critical to the work of those involved in suicide prevention and for the public to better understand the serious public health issue that suicide is in our country" said a leading suicide prevention expert Dr. Dan Reidenberg at SAVE. "The 2021 data tells us that there is more work to be done as people face multiple internal and social challenges in their lives. As more awareness, education, training and other programs are being embedded in communities nationally we hope to see the numbers drop in the year ahead," Reidenberg said.

Dr. John McIntosh, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Indiana University South Bend and leading expert in suicide prevention, research and education as well as the originator of the data sheets and slides said: "Suicide in 2021 increased following a decrease in 2020, returning to the 2019 rate of 14.5 per 100,000 population. This rate, along with 2018's rate of 14.8 are levels of suicide not seen since the 1930s—80 years ago. Rates increased for nearly all groups by age, sex, and race. Firearms suicides also increased. It can be hoped that online and other virtual and electronic resources developed or expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic will remain available to supplement existing suicide prevention measures and support for those in crisis."

Dr. Christopher Drapeau, an expert in research, data and suicide prevention and a licensed psychologist and adjunct faculty member at the Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health said: "The suicide rate in the US over the past decade and the increase observed from 2020 to 2021 suggest a need to further understand when recommended and evidence-based approaches for preventing suicide help those in crisis and when they come up short. Further, it may be useful to examine how four U.S. states have maintained some of the lowest suicide rates in the country every single year going back to the early 2000s when suicide rates began to gradually increase (District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York)."

According to the data released today at www.SAVE.org, in 2021 there were 48,183 deaths by suicide in the United States making suicide the 11^th leading cause of death in the country overall with every demographic group seeing increases, the 3^rd leading cause of death for youth, and that nearly 290,000 people became suicide loss survivors. While there was also an increase in non-fatal suicide attempts (1,204,775), research shows that treatment is effective and recovery is possible. The information made available by SAVE also includes race, gender and age breakdowns, state and regional rankings, as well as methods of suicide and suicidal ideation data. According to Dr. Reidenberg, "This information available from one source brings credibility, consistency and a shared message for the people working in the field of mental health, suicide prevention and media about what the data is telling us regarding trends related to the public health crisis of suicide in the United States." The 2021 data sheets are available free on SAVE's website (www.save.org) or direct link: https://save.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics.

SAVE (www.save.org) is a leading national nonprofit suicide prevention organization that has been at the forefront of suicide prevention and suicide grief support for 30 years. SAVE has charters in 17 states, created evidence-based and best practice programs, safe messaging certification, peer support and suicide loss survivor programs, conducts training and education programs around the world and provides technical assistance to federal, state, local governments and companies.

CONTACT: Dr. Daniel J. Reidenberg, PsyD
612-741-1354 dreidenberg@save.org

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SOURCE SAVE - Suicide Awareness Voices of Education