evidence

The Role of Marriage in the Suicide Crisis | Institute for Family Studies

17 empirical findings extracted from peer-reviewed research.

Source

The Role of Marriage in the Suicide Crisis | Institute for Family Studies

View original source | 1680 words | 17 findings extracted

Key Findings

  • In 2019, 54 percent of the over-18 population was married.

    • 54 percent [2019]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • 74% of adults were married in 1962.

    • 74% [1962]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • The suicide rate among divorced adults is more than three times that of married adults.

    • more than three times
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • If marital composition remained constant, the 2017 unadjusted suicide rate for Americans over 18 would be 17.9 per 100,000, a three percent drop from the actual rate of 18.5.

    • 18.5 suicides per 100,000 (unadjusted) vs. 17.9 (adjusted) representing a three percent drop [2017]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

  • The suicide rate has risen 35% since the turn of the millennium.

    • 35%
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • Marriage adjusting reduces the 2017 suicide rate by 7.7% among Americans ages 54 to 71.

    • 7.7% [2017]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

  • Americans 18 to 35 are a full 10% less likely to be married than they were two decades ago.

    • 10% less likely
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • Divorce and singlehood have risen among Americans age 54 and up, by four to five percentage points.

    • four to five percentage points
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • Divorced people were twice as likely to commit suicide compared to married people.

    • twice as likely
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

  • Marriage adjusting reduces the 2017 suicide rate by 2.9% among Americans ages 18 to 35.

    • 2.9% [2017]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

  • The single share of the population rose from 24.4% in 1999 to 29.6% in 2019.

    • 24.4% to 29.6%
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • In 1999, 58.6% of the over-18 population was married.

    • 58.6% [1999]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • Marriage adjusting reduces the 2017 suicide rate by 1.8% among Americans ages 36 to 53.

    • 1.8% [2017]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

  • The suicide rate among singles is 1.5 to 2 times the rate among those who are married.

    • 1.5 to 2 times
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • In 2018, there were nearly 50,000 suicides, the highest per capita rate since the second World War.

    • nearly 50,000 [2018]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | government-data

  • Marriage adjusting reduces the 2017 suicide rate by 5.3% among Americans ages 72 to 89.

    • 5.3% [2017]
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

  • Marriage composition adjustment reduces total suicides by 11,423 over the period 1999 to 2017.

    • 11,423
    • 🟡 Strong Signal | longitudinal

Confidence Summary

Tier Count Description
🟢 Irrefutable 0 Meta-analyses, large RCTs, Cochrane reviews
🟡 Strong Signal 17 Multiple studies, large surveys
🟠 Hypothesis 0 Single study, small N, preliminary