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Did you know that the suicide rate among men is twice that of women? What's the secret behind this?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources, there are significant differences between suicide rates among men and women. In many countries, suicide rates are often underreported due to social stigma and cultural or legal issues. Therefore, these figures cannot be used to compare true suicide rates, which remain unknown in most countries. The latest report shows that since 2000, global suicide deaths have dropped from approximately 762,000 to 717,000 in 2021, a figure equivalent to 9.1 per 100,000 people. In particular, in high-income countries, suicidal behavior differs significantly between men and women: women are generally more likely to experience suicidal thoughts, but suicide mortality rates are actually around men, a phenomenon described as "potentially epidemic".
In 2021, the global suicide mortality rate for men was 12.3 per 100,000 people, twice the rate for women, who had a suicide mortality rate of 5.9 per 100,000 people.
However, this gender gap is significantly uneven across regions, with the male-to-female death ratio ranging from 1.4 in Southeast Asia to nearly 4.0 in the Americas. In most parts of the world, suicide is condemned and stigmatized for religious or cultural reasons. In some countries, suicide is considered a crime and may be punishable by law. As a result, many suicides often occur clandestinely in taboo settings and are often underidentified, misclassified, or deliberately hidden from official death statistics. It follows that suicide rates may actually be higher than measured, with men at a higher risk of suicide than women in almost all cultures and backgrounds.
The World Health Organization points out that suicide prevention and intervention are important issues for all mankind. According to the 2024 WHO report, 73% of reported suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries. The connection between mental illness and suicide has generated much discussion, although many suicides are impulsive acts that often occur during crisis situations. Discriminated groups, such as refugees, indigenous peoples and the LGBT community, often experience higher suicide rates.
Social taboos and a lack of good quality suicide data are barriers to suicide prevention.
Suicide prevention measures include limiting the use of dangerous methods, responsible media reporting, and treatment and evaluation of suicidal people. Suicide rates for men and women are based on statistics for the total male and female populations, i.e., the number of male suicides divided by the total male population and the number of female suicides divided by the total female population. When analyzed, age-standardized data can effectively reflect changes in mortality across age groups, thereby enhancing the validity of cross-country comparisons.
Across the world, men account for approximately 75% of suicides, meaning that 3 out of 4 suicides are committed by men. For example, according to data from the United States in 2015, the male suicide rate was 3.36, which increased to 3.53 in 2016. Although age standardization is a common statistical process, the WHO's figures are based on estimates, which means underreporting of suicides is taken into account and may differ from official figures provided by government officials in various countries.
For example, in 2016, Canada's overall suicide rate was 10.3 per 100,000 people, while the suicide rate for Aboriginal people was as high as 24.3 per 100,000 people, ranking among the top ten in the world.
There are many reasons for this, including inequality in living standards and income. The way suicide rates are measured in different countries may also be affected by cultural differences, complicating cross-country comparisons. Although WHO continues to update and revise data, these issues remain challenges for suicide prevention and intervention.
Looking back at the global phenomenon of suicide and its gender differences, we should be alert to the needs of people living in this dark corner. How can we promote more effective measures to solve this increasingly serious social problem?
