U.S. Suicide Rates Reached an All-Time High in 2022
uicide rates in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2022, continuing a surge that began in 2021, according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase to 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, up from 14.1 in 2021, represented a 1% higher rate in suicides across the country. Though the rise is significantly smaller than the 4% jump in the rate from 2020 to 2021, the numbers indicate a still-growing problem with no clear explanation. Provisional data is also incomplete, which means that the final number of suicides in 2022 will likely be higher as additional death certificates are processed. The current total included in the data is 49,449, meaning it’s possible the number of U.S. suicides will cross 50,000 in a single year for the first time on record. It's more than twice the number of homicides in 2022, but likely still low enough to keep suicide from inclusion as a top 10 cause of death for U.S. adults.
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