Suicide rates climbed 25.4 percent nationwide from 1999 to 2016, according to a report released June 7 by the CDC.
Nearly every state, with the exception of Nevada, saw increases during that time period. The highest suicide rate increase was in North Dakota, at 57.6 percent, while the lowest was in Delaware, at 5.9 percent. In more than half of states, suicide rates among people age 10 and older rose more than 30 percent.
The report also found 54 percent of people who died by suicide during the studied time period did not have a mental health condition. Of those with no known mental health conditions, 84 percent were male, and 55 percent died by firearm. That compares to 69 percent and 41 percent, respectively, among those with known mental health conditions. Firearms was the most common method used by both groups, followed by suffocation, poisoning and "other."
Many factors contribute to suicide among both groups, including "relationship problem" (42 percent), "crisis in the past or upcoming two weeks" (29 percent), and "problematic substance use" (28 percent), the CDC reported, citing data from its National Violent Death Reporting System from 27 states participating in 2015.
"The data are disturbing," said Anne Schuchat, the CDC's principal deputy director, according to The Washington Post. "The widespread nature of the increase, in every state but one, really suggests that this is a national problem hitting most communities."
The full report, released two days after 55-year-old designer Kate Spade's death by apparent suicide, is available here.
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