Black Populations

Black and African American are terms used to describe people descended from any of the Black racial groups of Africa.1 On this web page we use the term Black, and the data do not include people of Hispanic ethnicity. In 2022, Black populations composed an estimated 13.6% of the U.S. population.2

The suicide rates among Black or African American populations increased from 5.5 per 100,000 in 2011 to 7.7 per 100,000 in 2020. The suicide rate among the overall U.S. population increased from 12.3 per 100,000 in 2011 to 13.5 per 100,000 in 2020.3

Among Black or African American populations, suicide rates peak during adolescence and young adulthood, then decline through age 85+. This is a different pattern than is seen in the overall U.S. population, where suicide rates peak at ages 45 to 54, start a downward decline until age 74, and then increase starting at age 75 through age 85+.3

As in the overall U.S. population, between 2011 and 2020 the suicide death rate among males was more than three times the rate among females in Black or African American populations. The suicide death rate in the overall U.S. population was approximately double that of the rate in Black or African American populations among both males and females.​3

Compared to the overall U.S. population, in 2020 a lower percentage of Black or African American adults reported past-year serious thoughts of suicide. Rates of past-year plans and attempts were very similar among Black or African American adults and the overall U.S. population.​4

In 2021, a smaller percentage of Black or African American high school youth reported they felt sad or hopeless compared to youth in the overall U.S. youth population. The percentages of Black or African American high school youth who reported seriously considering attempting suicide and making a suicide plan were equal to the percentages among youth in the overall U.S. population. Higher percentages of Black or African American high school youth reported attempting suicide and making a suicide attempt requiring treatment compared to youth in the overall U.S. population.5

References

  1. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2021). 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2020-nsduh-detailed-tables
  2. United States Census Bureau. (2022). Quick Facts. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). 1999-2020 Wide ranging online data for epidemiological research (WONDER), multiple cause of death files [Data file]. National Center for Health Statistics. http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html
  4. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. (2023). 2021 National survey on drug use and health: Detailed tables. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2021-nsduh-detailed-tables
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). 1991-2021 High school youth risk behavior survey data [Data file]. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/

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The charts and graphs in this section are also available as a PowerPoint slide set. Feel free to use this slide set to deliver a presentation about the scope of the suicide problem.