Nearly all U.S. adults agree that more action can be taken to reduce suicide deaths, with about three-fifths also reporting they have been personally affected by suicide, according to national survey data released Wednesday.
Sixty-one percent of adults said they know someone who has considered, attempted or died by suicide, according to the 2024 Public Perception of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Poll, conducted by The Harris Poll. The biennial survey found that number has consistently risen, from 53 percent in 2018 to 55 percent in 2020 and 59 percent in 2022.
The poll — a joint effort led by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention at EDC and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center — also found that 25 percent of U.S. adults have thought about or attempted suicide themselves. Adults who have experienced thoughts of suicide are also increasingly open to speaking to others, with 82 percent open to this in 2024 — a 9 percent increase over 2018.
