Suicide rates rising for older US adults

Suicide rates for adults 40-64 years of age in the US have risen about 40 percent since 1999, with a sharp rise since 2007. One possible explanation could be the detrimental effects of the economic downturn of 2007-2009, leading to disproportionate effects on house values, household finances, and retirement savings for that age group. Researchers found that external economic factors were present in 37.5 percent of all completed suicides in 2010, rising from 32.9 percent in 2005.