Facts about suicide in Texas
David Martin
Suicide is a complex issue. We need a comprehensive approach aimed at prevention.
I found some interesting facts (and the cool video) about suicide in Texas at www.texassuicideprevention.org
FACTS:
- Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for Texans and the third leading cause of death among youth ages fifteen to twenty-four.
- In 2003, on average, slightly more than six Texans died from suicide each day.
- Regardless of age, males were more likely to die because of suicide than females. In fact, in 2003, 1,851 males and 504 females died of suicide in Texas.
- Suicide rates are highest among Texans seventy years and older. The highest reported suicide rate was among the seventy-five plus age cohort, which reported a rate of 17.4 per 100,000 in 2003.
- Among women, the highest suicide rate occurred among those in the age group of 45-54. The suicide rate for this group was 9.2 per 100,000 women.
- Adolescents are a particularly vulnerable group. In 2003, 348 adolescents ages fifteen to twenty-four died as a result of suicide. Of these, 276 were boys and seventy-two were girls.