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CDC: US suicide rates way up; girls especially

Posted at 6:00 PM, Apr 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-22 18:26:55-04
The number of suicides in the U.S. is on the rise, especially among girls between the ages of 10 and 14, according to new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
 
Researchers at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics looked at data between 1999 and 2014 about the cause of death of Americans 10 years old and over.
 
The numbers show that 13 people out of every 100,000 took their own lives in 2014, compared with 10.5 per 100,000 in 1999. 
 
The suicide rate increase was across the board - among both women and men and in every age group - except those 75 and older.
 
The report shows what has been a historical trend: men commit much more suicide than women.
 
In 2014, the rate was 20.7 suicides per 100,000 men, compared with 5.8 per 100,000 women. 
 
But the biggest increase in rates since 1999 is among women: suicide is up 45% for women, and up 16% among men.
 
And among girls the increase is even higher. 
 
1.5 of every 100,000 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 years old committed suicide in 2015, up from 0.5 of every 100,000 in 1999.
 
This rate is still exceedingly low compared to the total numbers, however.
 
Florida's Suicide Prevention Coalition (FSPC) reports that the rate of suicide is even higher in the Sunshine State, which is 49th in the country in funding suicide-prevention efforts.
 
State-wide the rate of suicide is 15.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2014; about 8 people a day in Florida take their own life.
 
In 1999, the rate of suicide in Florida was 13.3 per 100,000 people, according to the FSPC.
 
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is a great resource to turn to for people and families.
 
Call 2-1-1 to receive free, confidential crisis counseling, along with information and referrals to a Crisis Center Service; this number is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.