Health care use in 2005
Number of emergency department visits for self-inflicted injury: 372,722 Source: National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2004 Emergency Department Summary

Number of people hospitalized due to self-inflicted injury: 154,598 Source: Centers for Disease Control, 2005

Mortality in 2005
All suicides
Number of deaths in 2005:                                      32,637
Deaths per 100,000 population:                                11.01

Firearm suicides
Number of deaths:                                                   17,002
Deaths per 100,000 population:                                  5.73

Suffocation suicides
Number of deaths:                                                    7,248
Deaths per 100,000 population:                                  2.44

Poisoning suicides
Number of deaths:                                                    5,744
Deaths per 100,000 population:                                  1.94
Source: WISQARS Injury Mortality Report, 2005

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2005:

• Suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States.

• It was the eighth leading cause of death for males, and 16th leading cause of death for females.

• Suicides outnumbered homicides (32,637 to 18,124).

• Suicide by firearms was the most common method, accounting for 52 percent of all suicides.

• Firearms are the most commonly used method of suicide among males (56.8 percent).

• Poisoning is the most common method of suicide for females (37.8 percent).

• More men than women die by suicide, with a gender ratio of 4:1.

• 78.8 percent of all suicide deaths are males.

• There is one suicide for every 25 suicide attempts.

• Among young people age 15 to 24, there is one suicide for every 100 to 200 attempts.

• Among adults age 65 and older, there is one suicide for every four suicide attempts.

• In 2005, 16.9 percent of U.S. high school students reported having seriously considered attempting suicide during the previous 12 months. More than 8 percent of students reported they had actually attempted suicide one or more times during the same period.

• 1,613 children age 15 to 19 committed suicide in 2005.

• 278 children age 10 to 14 committed suicide in 2005.

Source: Centers for Disease Control