Violence Prevention Coalition of Orange County

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Violence Prevention Coalition of Orange
County Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury Facts

• Extent of the Problem
• The fastest growing age group attempting suicide
  are children between the ages of 10 and 14.
  (Center for Disease Control, 2000)
• Males are more likely to complete suicide while
  females are more likely to attempt. (Center for
  Disease Control, 2000)
• In 2001, our nation lost a young life to suicide
  every 2 hours and 2.5 minutes. (Summary of
  National Stats by John McIntosh, 2002)
• For every completion, between 100 and 200
  unsuccessful attempts by a young person are made.
  (Summary of National Stats by John McIntosh,
  2002)
• The Centers for Disease Control estimates a
  suicide ideation rate, those who have seriously
  considered suicide, of more than 20 with 10th
  grade girls exhibiting over a 30 rate. (CDC
  Adolescent Heath Chart, 2000)
• Of all the violent deaths associated with schools
  nationwide since 1992, 14 percent were suicides.
  (Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program of Los
  Angeles, 2002)
• Elderly adults have rates of suicide of more than
  50 higher than that of the nation as a whole.
  (American Association of Suicidology, 2004)
• The highest suicide rates occur among the
  elderly, especially elderly white men.
  (Epidemiology of Suicidal Behavior, in Suicide
  and Life-Threatening Behavior 1995 25(1)22-35)
  
• Updated 6-04

Definition of Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury
The threatened or actual use of physical force
or power against oneself which either results in,
or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury,
death or deprivation. Self-inflicted injury is
sometimes referred to as attempted suicide.

• Underlying Contributing
• Factors
• Suicide is considered to be the second leading
  cause of death of young people between the ages
  of 15 and 24 in the west, 3rd nationally. (Center
  for Disease Control, 2000)
• Retrospective studies of suicide victims show
  that more than 90 of people who committed
  suicide had an addictive or mental disorder (for
  example, depression or manic-depressive illness).
  Very often these disorders were not recognized
  before the suicide. A large proportion have more
  than one of these disorders. (Epidemiology of
  Suicidal Behavior, in Suicide and
  Life-Threatening Behavior 1995 25(1)22-35)
• In 2000, approximately 3 million youths were at
  risk for suicide during the year. Youths who
  reported past year alcohol use were twice as
  likely to attempt suicide. (SAMSHA, NHSDA report,
  2002)
• Firearms are currently the most often utilized
  method of suicide by all groups. (American
  Association of Suicidology, 2004)

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• Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury Facts
• California
• In 2001, 3,256 total Californians lost their
  lives to suicide. (California Department of
  Health Services Vital Statistic Query, 2001)
• Conservative estimates indicate that more than
  1,973,136 Californians struggled to cope with the
  impact of suicide. (American Association of
  Suicidology, 2002)
• Orange County
• In 2002 there were 241 suicides in Orange County.
  This is a rate of 8.47 per 100,000 population.
• 110 of the 241 suicides (46) used a firearm, the
  most common method employed. The next most
  common method was by hanging or suffocation--56
  suicides (23).
• 181 (75) of the 241 suicides were males and 60
  (25) were females. A greater proportion of male
  suicides used firearms--54--than female
  suicides--20. Firearms were the most common
  method of suicide among males.