Death rate for intentional self-harm (suicide) in Canada 2000-2023

Over the past couple decades the death rate from intentional self-harm (suicide) in Canada has remained relatively stable. In 2000, the death rate from suicide was 11.7 per 100,000 population. However, the rate had slightly decreased by 2023 to 9.5 deaths per 100,000. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors are always considered a psychiatric emergency that requires immediate assistance from a health care provider.

Suicide globally

The statistics on suicide vary drastically by country. As of 2019, the countries with the highest rates of suicide included Lesotho, Guyana, and Eswatini. Suicide statistics also vary by gender. As an example, the suicide rate among men in Lithuania in 2021 was almost five times greater than the suicide rate among Lithuanian women.

Suicide in North America

Suicide rates in North America also differ drastically by age and gender. In Canada, the rate of deaths due to suicide is highest among those aged 50 to 54 years. Much like in Canada, the United States shows higher rates of suicides among older adults, with those aged 45 to 64 years with the highest rates of suicide. In North America, as well as globally, the death rate from suicide is higher among men. In the United States, the death rate from suicide among men is almost four times greater than the death rate from suicide among women.