First in suicides: Las Vegas, Colorado Springs, Tucson
Marty Durlin
Online EditorA report by the National Association of County and City Health Officials on big cities in the U.S., published in November, shows that Las Vegas leads urban areas in suicides with 35 per 100,000, followed by Colorado Springs with 26. Tucson is third with 25 per 100,000.
The West as a region leads the nation in suicides. Only California has a rate less than the national average of 11 per 100,000. Montana is first with 22 per 100,000, followed by Nevada with 19.9, New Mexico and Wyoming with 17.7, Colorado with 17.1, Idaho with 16.0 and Arizona with 15.9. These statistics are from 2004, but the West has led in this sad race for years.
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S., at nearly twice the rate of homicide. It is the third leading cause for people younger than 24. White males are more likely to kill themselves than any other demographic, and firearms are the most common method.
The March 31 issue of High Country News features a story by award-winning writer Ray Ring on suicide in the West. An essay by Diane Sylvain on the same topic is online.