Suicide in Russia

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Suicide in Russia is a significant national social issue, though suicide rates have decreased and now are average. As of April 2016 the suicide rate dropped by 7.2% compared to 2015, and reached 15.4 suicides per 100,000 citizens, the lowest level in 54 years[1]. Researchers have observed a close association between heavy alcohol consumption in Russia and suicide.

Dynamics

In 2015 there were 17.1 suicides per 100,000 people [2], in 2016 it dropped to 15.6 [3].

The suicide rate has been steadily decreasing since it peaked at around 40 per 100,000 people in the mid-late 1990s, including a 30% drop from 2001 to 2006. In 2007 about 22% of all suicides were committed by people aged 40–49, and almost six times as many Russian males commit suicide as females.

Alcohol and suicide

Further information: Alcoholism in Russia

Heavy alcohol use is a significant factor in the suicide rate, with an estimated half of all suicides correlated with alcohol abuse. Russia's suicide rate has declined since the 1990s, alongside per capita alcohol consumption, despite the economic crises since then; therefore it is believed that alcohol consumption is more of a factor than economic conditions.

Teenage suicides

In 2012, the rate of teenage suicides in Russia was three times higher than the world average.

2006 statistics

Number of suicides per 100,000 by age group and gender. Russia, 2006

Age (years)	5-14	15-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65-74	75+
Males	2.8	43.7	70.9	66.3	71.4	61.6	70.0	86.5
Females	1.1	7.4	9.0	9.1	10.3	8.9	13.3	24.8
Average	2.0	25.8	39.8	36.9	38.6	31.4	33.8	40.7
Source: World Health Organization

See also

• Federal law of Russian Federation no. 139-FZ of 2012-07-28, which introduced censorship of Web pages containing information about methods of suicide, and calls for suicide.
• Suicide in Ukraine