Suicide Risk Tied to Local Economic & Social Conditions

The latest CDC Vital Signs Report, “Suicide Risk is Tied to Local Economic & Social Conditions” highlights how community-level factors, such as health insurance, broadband access, and income, are linked to lower suicide rates.

Counties with the highest health insurance coverage saw suicide rates 26 percent lower than those with the least coverage. Additionally, areas with widespread internet access had 44 percent lower rates of suicide. The report encourages communities to focus on increasing access to these resources to reduce suicide risks.

In 2022, approximately 49,000 persons died by suicide in the United States. Findings from this report highlight the ways in which a comprehensive approach that addresses health-related community factors, such as health care access, social and community context, and economic stability, could help prevent suicide.

For additional information, you can download a PDF of “Vital Signs: Suicide Rates and Selected County-Level Factors – United States, 2022” here.