Analysis of suicide numbers puts Nevada high on list

Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 | 5:41 p.m.

MSNBC: Suicides in the downturn raise worries about recession’s real cost

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The number for the Nevada Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-877-855-HOPE (4673). More information is available at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Risk factors for suicide include:

Depression and other mental disorders, or a substance-abuse disorder (often in combination with other mental disorders). More than 90 percent of people who die by suicide have these risk factors.
Prior suicide attempt
Family history of mental disorder or substance abuse
Family history of suicide
Family violence, including physical or sexual abuse
Firearms in the home, the method used in more than half of suicides
Incarceration
Exposure to the suicidal behavior of others, such as family members, peers, or media figures.

-- Source: National Institute of Mental Health

A recent analysis of suicide statistics in counties across the nation puts forth some jarring numbers for Nevada, with the suicide rate in each of the state's 17 counties ranking among the top two-thirds nationwide.

Six of the state's counties are in the top 25 of the nation's 3,102 counties or county-like jurisdictions, according to an analysis by msnbc.com, with Nye County ranking highest at No. 8. White Pine County, which includes Ely in eastern Nevada, ranks No. 9.

The analysis included data compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau for the years 1979 to 2006.

MSNBC cites statistics from the American Association of Suicidology that indicate in 2006 the nation's suicide rate was 11.1 deaths per 100,000 people, or about 33,300 a year nationwide.

That same group puts Nevada's suicide rate at fourth-highest in the nation.

Nye County, which had 23 years of data from 1979 to 2006 to analyze, had a suicide rate of 34.9 per 100,000. Clark County, which ranked 161 nationwide, averaged 20.4 suicides per 100,000 residents each year based on 28 years of data. The highest number of suicides recorded in Clark County in one year was 309, with 97 being the lowest.

According to 2005 data from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Suicide Prevention, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 34 in Nevada. Among all age groups, in 2005, it was the sixth-leading cause of death.

Elsewhere on the nationwide list, Mineral County is ranked No. 13, Humboldt is No. 20, Lyon is No. 23 and Churchill is No. 25. Carson City, which is an independent city and not in any county, is No. 32, then Elko follows at No. 55 with Washoe at No. 67.

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.

By mikegino

Nov. 9, 2009

7:08 p.m.

Suggest removal

Too many people reading the Sun.

Let's see how long this lasts!
By gmag39

Nov. 9, 2009

7:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

"American Association of Suicidology?"
Wow. There's a grim moniker.
It's a darn good thing they didn't have 2008&2009
statistics available... We'd likely ascend to the top. Or the bottom. #1!
By mikegino

Nov. 9, 2009

7:49 p.m.

Suggest removal

Birdie & gmag: do you believe in the inevitability of the Bell Curve?
By stevem

Nov. 9, 2009

8:56 p.m.

Suggest removal

people would rather kill themselves than live under obama's reign of terror.
By gmag39

Nov. 9, 2009

9:52 p.m.

Suggest removal

I can't speak for birdie, of course, but yes, it's pretty hard to argue with, in my OPINION.
By Just_Me

Nov. 10, 2009

7:43 a.m.

Suggest removal

Yes, we've heard this for years - but how many of those suicides are Nevadans, and how many are people who just choose Las Vegas as a place to kill themselves.
By getalife

Nov. 10, 2009

12:18 p.m.

Suggest removal

just me, exactly.

Transient city, transient death toll.

Sad either way.

Stevem, really??, man get some help before you add to the numbers.