Firearms and hanging primary methods for suicide in US as rates continue to rise

Suicide rates in the United States increased across all racial groups in the United States between 1999 and 2020 but were highest among white people, followed by American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) persons. Firearms and hanging were the top methods used, with a sharp and substantial increase in hangings among women. This finding poses a conundrum for clinicians, as suicide prevention strategies based on means restriction are not effective when the primary means is hanging. The research report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.