Why are White Suicide rates so high??

February 18, 2011

Whites in America (in the aggregate), have access to better schools, medical/mental care, financial networks, and job opportunities than minorities. Minorities face social pressures through higher poverty rates, a historically biased legal system, and subsequently higher incarceration rates. The data however shows that the suicide rates among elderly (75+) white males (measured in suicides per 100,000) is substantially higher for other age groups across the board.

The suicide rate for White females is almost four times the rate for Black females in the 50-54 year old age group.

These statistics have shown a consistent divide between the races (or economic classes) for a number of years.

Given the similar statistics for both the Black minority population and the Hispanic minority population i would guess that the differences in rates are driven more by inadequate coping mechanisms,

to change in circumstance (financial, emotional, health, age-related), inability to deal with loss of expectations, inability to deal with the perception of failure.

Whatever the reasons, be they related to mental health, infringement of privacy, or economic shortfalls, the fact remains that this is a deeply personal problem facing all Americans.