Data & Statistics

Data & Statistics

Youth suicide presents a serious, preventable health problem affecting the lives of young people across Virginia. Suicide and suicide attempts exact enormous tolls in terms of loss of life, physical impairment and medical costs, grief and suffering, and disruption of families and communities.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people aged 10-24 in Virginia and is the third leading cause of death in that age group nationally. On average, two Virginia youths die each week from suicide. In 2007, there were 101 youth suicides, for a rate of 6.4 per 100,000 young Virginians.

Each year, there are more suicide attempts among youth than suicides. In 2007, there were 1,565 hospital discharges from self-inflicted injuries. However, obtaining an accurate count of suicide attempts can be difficult because many may not be treated in hospitals or may not be coded as a self-inflicted injury.  Also, not all self-inflicted injuries occur with suicide as the intent. 

Research suggests that social stigma leads to inaccurate reporting; thus, the figures reported here may not indicate the full extent of suicide attempts and completions. Added to the loss of life from completed suicides and the financial burden that results from suicide attempts is the effect on the health and functioning of families and communities imposed by the special suffering experienced when young people take their own lives.

Suicide Data and Reports

Virginia

• Youth Suicide in Virginia, 1996-2005 is now available.  This report covers ten years of suicides among Virginia youth aged 10-24.  Click here to download or view a copy.
  
• Suicide Prevention Fact Sheet, Virginia 2005
  This fact sheet covers suicides and self-inflicted injuries in Virginia in 2005. Click here to download or view a copy.
  
• Violent Death in Virginia: A Report from the Virginia Violent Death Reporting System is now available.  This report examines violent deaths that occurred in Virginia in 2006.  Click here to download or view a copy.
• Evaluation of Student Suicide Prevention Training in Virginia
• Suicidal Poison Exposures Reported to Virginia's Poison Centers 2000-2003
• Suicide Associated Deaths and Hospitalizations, Virginia 2000

National

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released a MMWR article on non-fatal self-inflicted injuries among the elderly in the United States. Click here to view the article.

• The World Health Organization has released a report examining the impact of Hurricane Katrina on mental illness and suicidality.  Click here to view the report.

• Facts About Suicide by Research America
  An Excerpt from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Summary of the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. This excerpt focuses on Suicide with Reference to Hispanic Females. Read summary here.