Research Documents Increase in Suicide Rates in Pennsylvania

Suicide rates in Pennsylvania have increased considerably from 1999 to 2018, with the suicide rate among rural counties being higher, on average, than the rate in urban counties, according to recently released research sponsored by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania.

The research found that, on average, the gap between rural and urban county suicide rates has been increasing, especially over the last decade. In 2018, the rate in rural counties was 25 percent higher than the rate in urban counties. However, the overall rates mask substantial variation among rural and urban counties, according to...