About Suicide

Sharing accurate data can be an important part of public health campaigns. Suicide prevention professionals often use data to help tell a story of how important suicide prevention is to the health of our communities and families. It is never the intention to make our communities feel hopeless about the problem of suicide, but rather to help people know they are not alone and that suicide can be prevented. Here is a snapshot of what is happening related to suicide in Kansas.

The 2019 Kansas Summary of Vital Statistics reported 521 deaths of suicide in the state of Kansas
In Kansas, someone dies of suicide on average every 16 hours with the highest number of suicide occurring among men ages 35-44.
According to the 2019 Kansas Summary of Vital Statistics, suicide is the 9th leading cause of death in Kansas; 10th leading cause of death nationally.
The rate of suicide per 100,000 people is 27.5% higher in Kansas when compared to national rates in the US.
Suicide is rarely about death. Most people who consider suicide don’t want to die. They seek to end the intense pain with which they live. We know that through means restriction and access to professional intervention, suicide is preventable. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, visit our get help page or call the Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

The Kansas Communities that Care Survey is an annual collection of responses from 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th graders. More information can be found on the KCTC website.

  • The number of middle and high school students who report feeling depressed has been steadily increasing for the last 5 years. In January 2020, 33.7% reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
  • Depression is one mental health condition that can make someone at risk of suicide. However, it is important to note that not everyone who experiences depression thinks about suicide, and not all people who suicide are experiencing depression.
  • The same survey found that in 2020, 5.24% of middle and high school students attempted suicide while 5% made suicide plans, and 18.1% had serious thoughts of suicide.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment tracks data related to suicide deaths each year. More information can be found on the KDHE Website.

  • In 2018, there were 9 suicides by children under 15, and 101 suicides for adolescents aged 15-24
  • In 2019, there were 6 suicides by children under 15, and 83 suicides for adolescents aged 15-24


Additional Data Sources:

-Resources:

Local Crisis Line: 785-841-2345

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 9-8-8
Crisis Text Line: Text “HELP” to 9-8-8


Local resources:

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