Suicide Numbers
Percentage of U.S. high school students who have seriously thought about attempting suicide in the past 12 months: 24%
* Percentage who actually attempt to kill themselves:
U.S.: 9%
Calif.: 12%
L.A.: 16%
* Percentage in U.S. with whom the attempt requires medical attention: 3%
GENDER
* More than one in three high school girls in Los Angeles has thought seriously about attempting suicide in the last 12 months.
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Female Male U.S. 30% 18% L.A. 36% 16%
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Percentage of high schoolers attempting suicide
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Female Male U.S. 12% 6% L.A. 21% 10%
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Suicide death rate for 10- to 14-year-olds, per 100,000
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Female Male U.S. 1.0 2.4 L.A. 0.9 0.3
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Suicide death rate for 15- to 19-year-olds, per 100,000
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Female Male U.S. 3.5 18.3 L.A. 5 11
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RACE
* Among ethnic groups in California, African Americans are least likely to consider suicide.
Percentage considering suicide in last 12 months
White: 24%
Black: 17%
Latino: 27%
Asian: 26%
American Indian: 32%
* In California, Latinos are the ethnic groups most likely to attempt to kill themselves:
Percentage attempting to kill themselves in last 12 months
White: 8%
Black: 7%
Latino: 16%
Asian: 12%
American Indian: 12%
METHODS
* Nationwide, firearms and explosives are the most common methods used in suicide attempts in both the 10-14 and 15-19 age groups.
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10-14 15-19 Firearms and Explosives 58.8% 71% Hanging, Strangulation, Suffocation 32.4% 18% Solid or Liquid Substances 5.7% 4% Gases and Vapors 0.6% 3% Jumping From a High Place 1.3% 2% Cutting and Piercing Instruments 0% 1% Other 1.3% 2%
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SUICIDE FACTS
* Nationwide, boys are much more likely than girls to use guns or explosives in suicide attempts; girls are much more likely to use poisons.
* The greatest number of suicides occur in the spring.
* Many make a suicide attempt or kill themselves on an important day or day with special meaning.
* There are at least 100 attempts for every suicide among youths, researchers say, much higher than the estimated four attempts per suicide among adults.
Sources: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Report, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; California State Department of Education.