Suicide remains a serious public health problem in the United States. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022—the highest number of suicide deaths ever recorded in the U.S.
Communities of color are increasingly affected by suicide, with deaths among Indigenous peoples and Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans rising over the past 20 years. Veterans, people who identify as LGBTQ, youth and young adults, and disaster survivors are also at elevated risk of suicide.
Nearly half of people who die by suicide see a health care professional in the month before their death. These interactions offer a key opportunity for providers to identify individuals at risk for suicide and connect them to care. Yet despite the availability of suicide screening tools and evidence-based practices that reduce the likelihood of suicide deaths or attempts, research shows that these interventions are not widely used across health care systems.
The Pew Charitable Trusts’ suicide risk reduction project aims to empower hospitals and health systems to expand the use of evidence-based suicide screening and care to help reduce suicide deaths in the U.S.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org and click on the chat button.
U.S. Trends and Disparities in Suicidal Ideation and Attempts
Initiative Helps Boost Suicide Prevention Efforts
Suicide Screening and Care Help Lead to Recovery
Strategy for Suicide Prevention Reflects Today's Challenges
