The State of Alaska’s suicide report, released on Tuesday, reveals that suicide deaths were consistent this year compared to the last two years, but suicide attempts and thoughts of suicide are up, and drug overdose death rates are higher in 2020 than they were in 2018 and 2019.
During Jan. 1 through Nov. 30, 2020, the Alaska “syndromic surveillance system” recorded 5,691 emergency department visits associated with suicide ideation (thoughts of suicide) and 1,437 visits associated with suicide attempts.
In comparison to the number of emergency department visits during January through November 2019, that is an increase of 3 percent for ideation and 12 percent for attempts of suicide.
The rates were higher in 2020 than in previous years during the second through fourth quarters.
Of the 5,691 suicide ideation emergency visits, 2,966 (52%) were among females. Of the 1,437 suicide attempt visits, 918 (64%) were among females.
The rates for both ideation and attempts were highest among persons aged 11–14 years, at 61.6 per 1,000 emergency visits for ideation and 55.7 per 1,000 emergency visits for attempts, and 15–24 years, at 77.4 and 18.3 per 1,000 emergency visits, respectively).
Rates for suicide ideation and attempts were highest in the Northern region.
The Careline (suicide crisis response line) had an overall increase of 22% during the third quarter of 2020, (from 5,480 in Q2 to 6,612 in Q3).
Comparing 2020 third quarter call volume to 2019 third quarter volume showed a 90% increase in calls from persons aged 25–44 years (2,245 calls and 1,178 calls, respectively) and a 51% increase in the number of new callers (2,273 calls and 1,507 calls, respectively).
The suicide report is at this link:
