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Recent geographic patterns in suicide in the United States

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Abstract

Suicide is among the leading causes of death and rates have been steadily increasing over the past two decades in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a phenomenon known as the “honeymoon effect” which has led to fluctuations in the suicide rate, and this emphasizes the need for continued research to inform targeted interventions. In our study, we investigate changes in the suicide rate from 2017 to 2021 for different classifications of counties. We find that the suicide rate first decreased during the early years of covid, and then slowly increased. Suicide rates are higher in the west relative to the rates in the middle and eastern parts of the United States. Urban areas exhibit rates that follow the national pattern, while rates in rural areas have continued to increase from 2017 to 2021. Moreover, the suicide rate has continued to increase in counties recording population loss, and counties that have their economy focused on mining, Federal/State government, and the recreation industry. There was an initial decrease followed by an increase in counties considered as retirement destinations, and counties having persistent poverty, persistent child poverty, and low employment. These changes in suicide patterns noted from 2017 to 2021 show the continuous need to understand the importance of geographic context and its relationship with potential increases in the odds for suicide.

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  1. School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA

    Peter Rogerson, Jue Yang & Sharmistha Bagchi-Sen

  2. Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Jue Yang

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Rogerson, P., Yang, J. & Bagchi-Sen, S. Recent geographic patterns in suicide in the United States. GeoJournal 89, 19 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-024-11030-9

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