Page 21 - 2023-Mar-Apr-Journal

Suicides in Travis County

Desmar Walkes, MD
Jeffery P. Taylor, MPH
Austin Public Health

Data sources
Data on deaths by suicide within the City of Austin
and Travis County was obtained from two sources. The Figure 1 shows the number of deaths by suicide reported
annual number of deaths, basic demographic data, and by year in Travis County during 2011-2020. Overall,
annual age-adjusted rates by sex were obtained through 1,648 deaths by suicide were reported. A total of 326
an on-line database named Wide-ranging ONline Data deaths were reported during 2019 and 2020. During this
for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) managed by the same ten-year period, over 34,500 deaths by suicide were
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additional reported in Texas.
demographic data and manner of death were obtained
from the Office of Vital Records, Austin Public Health. A majority (75%) of persons who died by suicide were
Results males. Figure 2 shows age-adjusted suicide mortality rates
In 2020, almost 46,000 deaths by suicide were reported by sex. Rates are generally three times higher for males
in the United States. Overall, death by suicide is the 12th compared with females. There is no clear evidence of
leading cause of death. Among males, death by suicide is increasing rates over time for males or females.
the 9th leading cause of death. Among females, it’s the
15th leading cause of death.

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TCMS 2023 March • April 21