More people die from suicide than from homicide in the United States. In 1998, 30,575 Americans took their own lives, an average of 84 each day. That's almost twice the 17,893 homicides that occurred that year. In 1998, suicide was the eighth leading cause of death in this country. For 10- to 24-year-olds, it was the third leading cause. The highest suicide rates of any age group occur among people ages 65 and older. On average, an older adult commits suicide every 90 minutes. While females attempt suicide more often than males, males are at least four times as likely to die from suicide. In 1998, males accounted for 80% of all completed suicides in the United States. Among youth 15 to 19, boys were five times as likely as girls to commit suicide; among 20- to 24-year-olds, males were seven times as likely as females to commit suicide. The number of completed suicides reflects only a small portion of the impact of suicidal behavior. In 1998, an estimated 671,000 visits to U.S. hospital emergency departments were due to self-directed violence. Just The Facts: Suicide and Older Adults Since 1933, the first year states began reporting deaths, adults 65 and older have had the highest suicide rate of all age groups. While older adults make up 13% of the U.S.population, they account for nearly 20% of suicide deaths. Suicide rates tend to rise with age and are highest among white men 65 and older. Just The Facts: Suicide and Young People The rate of youth suicides has tripled since the 1950s, and today, suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds. In 1998, more teenagers and young adults died of suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined. Maybe you should forget about curing cancer and aids and try to cure suicide....