A recent study published in The Lancet Public Health highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in addressing global suicide rates. While the global suicide rate has dropped by nearly 40% since 1990, suicide remains a major public health crisis, causing about 740,000 deaths annually—equivalent to one death every 43 seconds.
The study, led by IHME Research Scientist Gregory Bertolacci, analyzed suicide mortality trends from 1990 to 2021, revealing significant regional disparities. For instance, while rates have declined overall, certain regions, including Central and Tropical Latin America, and high-income North America, have seen increases. Central Latin America, in particular, saw a 39% rise in suicide deaths, with Mexico experiencing a staggering 123% increase in suicides among women.
The research also noted a stark gender gap, with males more than twice as likely to die by suicide than females. Firearms were used in 10% of male suicides globally, but this figure jumped dramatically in the U.S., where 55% of male suicides and 31% of female suicides involved firearms.
These findings underscore both the progress made in suicide prevention and the pressing need for more targeted interventions in high-risk regions, especially among vulnerable populations.
