Suicide Methods and Trends Across Race/Ethnicity, Age, and Sex Groups in Chicago, Illinois, 2015-2021.

Abstract

<b>Objectives.</b> To measure differences in suicide rates across race/ethnicity, age, and sex groups in Chicago, Illinois, from 2015 to 2021. <b>Methods.</b> We calculated the incidence rate and annual percentage change in suicides among Asian, Black, Latino/a, and White persons in Chicago. We also analyzed patterns in suicide method across race/ethnicity, age, and sex groups. <b>Results.</b> Suicides increased significantly among Black males (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01, 1.20), Black females (IRR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.33), and Latino males (IRR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.11, 1.38) between 2015 and 2021. Suicides decreased overall among White Chicagoans during this period. A significantly greater proportion of Black males than Black females died by suicide using a firearm (55.79% vs 24.05%; <i>P</i> < .001). Similar results were detected for Latino males and females (32.99% vs 9.09%; <i>P</i> = .001) and White males and females (30.10% vs 11.73%; <i>P</i> < .001). <b>Conclusions.</b> Black persons in Chicago were the only group to experience significant increases in suicide among both males and females from 2015 to 2021, although specific methods used varied by race/ethnicity and sex group. (<i>Am J Public Health.</i> 2024;114(3):319-328. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307511).