Ohio suicides went up in 2022, according to new report from Ohio Department of Health

(Photo by Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline.)

BY: MEGAN HENRY – Ohio Capital Journal

This story is about suicide. If you or someone you know needs support now, call, text or chat the 988 Lifeline.

The number of Ohioans who died by suicide increased by 2% in 2022, according to new data from the Ohio Department of Health.

There were 1,797 suicide deaths in Ohio in 2022 — the 13th-leading cause of death in Ohio, according to ODH’s Suicide Demographics and Trends 2022 report. Suicide was the second-leading cause of death among Ohioans ages 10-14 and 20-34 that year.

Demographics

Males accounted for 80% of Ohio suicide deaths and Ohioans between the ages of 35-44 had the highest rate of suicide deaths.

Firearms accounted for more than half of all suicide deaths — 64% of male suicide deaths and 36% of female suicide deaths.

Breaking it down by sex, males 75 and older had the highest rate of suicide deaths and females ages 25-34 had the highest rate of suicide deaths.

Black non-Hispanics saw the the largest increases in rates of suicide deaths (16%) from 2021 to 2022. White non-Hispanics had both the highest rate of suicide deaths (16.1%) and the total number of suicide deaths (1,525).

Vinton County had the highest suicide death rate (38.8 per 100,000) and Mercer County had the lowest rate (9.4 per 100,000). Franklin County had the most suicide deaths with 168, Cuyahoga County had the second most with 163 and Hamilton County had the third most with 136.

Thirteen of the 15 counties with the highest suicide death rates were rural.

988 Suicide and Crisis Line

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline moved to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline two years ago and since then Ohio 19’s call centers have responded to nearly 340,000 calls, texts and chats — an average of more than 14,000 contacts each month.

“988 is saving lives,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “The lifeline is providing free, around-the-clock support to Ohioans in crisis by connecting them with someone to talk to for help at the moment it’s needed most.”

Ohioans facing a mental health or addiction crisis and their families members can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org to get connected to a trained call specialist who can help.

“988 is confidential and functions as a crucial gateway to crisis support within our communities,” Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Director LeeAnne Cornyn said in a statement. “Our hope is that reaching out to 988 in a behavioral health crisis becomes as natural to Ohioans as dialing 911 in other types of emergencies.”

There have been an average of 9,804 calls from Ohio area codes; 2,686 texts received per month and an average of 1,652 chats per month.

Cities across Ohio are trying to raise awareness of 988.

The City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities put up more than a dozen signs about 988 throughout the city. Some of the police departments in Huron County have added 988 decals to their cars. Heidelberg University rented three billboards about 988 to inform students at the private college in Seneca County.

“Any person or organization that puts effort toward building awareness about 988 is helping save lives,” Ohio’s 988 Administrator Doug Jackson said in a statement.

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Twitter.