CDC: Suicide rates highest among older men

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just released a new report on suicides in the United States, and the numbers are not good.

It says the suicide rate in the U.S. spiked in 2021, reversing two years of decline. Suicides among older men were especially high.

If you or a loved one have suicidal thoughts, call the 988 Lifeline. Find more local and state suicide prevention resources and hotlines at WBAY.com.

Wednesday’s CDC report says suicide rates in the U.S. are highest among men 55 and older. Most deaths by suicide involve guns.

In 2021, there were about 30 suicide deaths for every 100,000 men 55 and older.

The report says men 85 and older were most at-risk, with nearly 56 deaths by suicide for every 100,000.

Firearms accounted for at least three-quarters of suicides among men 65 and older in 2021.

The report also says the suicide rate among older women has increased over the past two decades, but the rate is far below that of older men.

Health officials say depression, physical illness and disability, and more social isolation and loss were major contributing factors making older adults more vulnerable for suicide.

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