Geography of loss - Science10.9 6.1 5.9 10.6 0 10 20 30 Urban centers More than 1 million people...
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sciencemag.org SCIENCE NEWS | FEATURES | UNRAVELING SUICIDE 736 23 AUGUST 2019 • VOL 365 ISSUE 6455 GEOGRAPHY OF LOSS By Meagan Weiland; Graphics by Nirja Desai Suicide is a worldwide problem, but its effects are uneven. Although suicide rates—all rates noted here are annual deaths per 100,000 people—are rising in some countries, including the United States, most countries are seeing declines, for reasons that include restrictions on access to lethal means and improved mental health care. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most countries do not collect detailed data on suicide; data for many countries here were drawn from rates estimated by organizations such as WHO and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Global Burden of Disease project. A nation’s struggles The United States is one of the world’s outliers, with suicide rates climbing since the early 2000s. Every state has seen a rise but some, such as California and New York, have lower rates and more modest increases. The hazards of guns In 2017, 51% of suicides in the United States were by firearm, making it by far the most common suicide method. The Brady Campaign, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, scores states based on gun safety laws such as background checks, carry qualifications, and permit requirements, as well as other factors. States with lower Brady scores often have a higher rate of suicide deaths by gun. 14 51.1 10.9 6.1 5.9 10.6 30 20 10 0 Urban centers More than 1 million people Suburbs More than 1 million Medium county 250,000 to 1 million Small county Less than 250,000 Non-metropolitan county 10,000 to 50,000 Men Women 11.4 0.1 Increase in rate Mexico The suicide rate in Mexico is low compared with the global average, but has been increasing since 1990. Change over time, 2000–2017 1.8 19.4 Rate Low Score High Total deaths 39,773 Suicide Homicide War/legal intervention Accidental Undetermined intent Brady score Rates of suicide by frearm, 2017 Gun deaths in the United States More than 57% of gun fatalities in the United States in 2017 were suicides, nearly 24,000 people. Greenland Although Greenland’s rate has decreased dramatically, it remains the highest in the world. Geography and gender Men in U.S. rural areas have a suicide rate as high as 31 per 100,000, more than double the national average. Men account for about 80% of U.S. suicide deaths. DATA: GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE COLLABORATIVE NETWORK, GLOBAL BURDEN OF DISEASE STUDY, 2017; WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION GLOBAL HEALTH OBSERVATORY, 2016; THE BRADY CAMPAIGN STATE SCORECARD, 2015; CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION WONDER Published by AAAS For help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or visit https://www.speakingofsuicide.com/resources. on March 15, 2021 http://science.sciencemag.org/ Downloaded from
Transcript of Geography of loss - Science10.9 6.1 5.9 10.6 0 10 20 30 Urban centers More than 1 million people...
sciencemag.org SCIENCE
NEWS | FEATURES | UNRAVELING SUICIDE
736 23 AUGUST 2019 • VOL 365 ISSUE 6455
GEOGRAPHY OF LOSSBy Meagan Weiland; Graphics by Nirja Desai
Suicide is a worldwide problem, but its effects are uneven. Although suicide rates—all rates noted here are annual deaths per 100,000 people—are rising in some countries, including the United States, most countries are seeing declines, for reasons that include restrictions on access to lethal means and improved mental health care. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most countries do not collect detailed data on suicide; data for many countries here were drawn from rates estimated by organizations such as WHO and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Global Burden of Disease project.
A nation’s strugglesThe United States is one of the world’s outliers, with suicide rates climbing since the early 2000s. Every state has seen a rise but some, such as California and New York, have lower rates and more modest increases.
The hazards of gunsIn 2017, 51% of suicides in the United States were by firearm, making it by far the most common suicide method. The Brady Campaign, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, scores states based on gun safety laws such as background checks, carry qualifications, and permit requirements, as well as other factors. States with lower Brady scores often have a higher rate of suicide deaths by gun.
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51.1
10.9
6.1
5.9
10.6
3020100
Urban centersMore than 1 million people
SuburbsMore than 1 million
Medium county250,000 to 1 million
Small countyLess than 250,000
Non-metropolitan county10,000 to 50,000
Men
Women
11.40.1
Increase in rate
MexicoThe suicide rate in Mexico is low compared with the global average, but has been increasing since 1990.
Change over time, 2000–2017
1.8 19.4
Rate
Low
Score
High
Total deaths 39,773
Suicide Homicide
War/legal interventionAccidental
Undetermined intent
Brady score Rates of suicide by frearm, 2017
Gun deaths in the United StatesMore than 57% of gun fatalities in the United States in 2017 were suicides, nearly 24,000 people.
GreenlandAlthough Greenland’s rate has decreased dramatically, it remains the highest in the world.
Geography and gender Men in U.S. rural areas have a suicide rate as high as 31 per 100,000, more than double the national average. Men account for about 80% of U.S. suicide deaths.
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Published by AAAS
For help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or visit
https://www.speakingofsuicide.com/resources.
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SCIENCE sciencemag.org 23 AUGUST 2019 • VOL 365 ISSUE 6455 737
Countries with the highest rates
1. Greenland (51.1)2. Lesotho (31.7)3. Lithuania (28.0)4. Zimbabwe (26.4)5. Kiribati (26.4)6. Guyana (26.1)7. Ukraine (25.6)8. Russia (25.1)9. Suriname (24.8)
10. Papua New Guinea (23.1)
Countries with the lowest rates
1. Kuwait (2.5)2. Antigua and
Barbuda (2.7) 3. Oman (2.9)4. Saudi Arabia (3.0)5. Syria (3.1)6. Tunisia (3.1)7. Indonesia (3.1)8. Peru (3.1)9. The Bahamas (3.2)
10. Jordan (3.2)
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25.17.4
5.5
15.6
7.5
15.77.2
12.4
4.5
9.6
3.1
3.0
11.2
5.5
A changing map Suicide rates have fallen incountries shaded green andblue, with drops of up to nearly 48 deaths per 100,000 people since 1990. In other countries,colored yellow and red, the rate has jumped by as much as 10 deaths per 100,000. The 2017 rate is specified on some countries.
Countries with a suicide rate above the global average (10.5)
–48 100
Australia
Belarus
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Denmark
Estonia
France
Germany
Iceland
Israel
Japan
Kazakhstan
Kuwait
Lithuania
Macedonia
Mauritius
Mexico
Netherlands
Norway
Panama
Philippines
Russia
South Korea
Spain
Suriname
Switzerland
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
520 0 0
Deaths per 100,000
4060 10 15 20
15- to 19-year-olds
10- to 14-year-olds
Men
Women
IndiaEven though its overall suicide rate has decreased, India accounts for more than 35% of female suicide deaths worldwide.
MauritiusMauritius, part of the African continent, is the only sub-Saharan country that consistently records and reports suicide rates.
Global differencesSuicide rates are especially high in some Eastern European and African countries, and strikingly low in parts of the Middle East and Indonesia. Compared with other age groups, suicides among young people are rare. Globally, men are far more likely to die by suicide than women.
Rates for women and men, 2017 Rates for youths, 2017
Change over time, 1990–2017
Published by AAAS
For help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, or visit
https://www.speakingofsuicide.com/resources.
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Geography of lossMeagan Weiland
DOI: 10.1126/science.365.6455.736 (6455), 736-737.365Science
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